Lance Neita | World Cup under pressure

When the referee blows his whistle at 1 p.m. on June 11 to kick off the 2026 World Cup football tournament in the Estadio Azteca, Mexico, it will be the start of four weeks of football excitement that will blow the interconnected minds of an estimated five billion fans across the world.

The games will be hosted by three countries, Canada, the United States, and Mexico, with the finals to be played at the Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

But the competition is also running into social and economic headwinds, with the world on edge as at least one host country, the USA, is currently in turmoil as ongoing immigration and visa restrictions are now blending into distractions and concerns over a range of travel restrictions on dozens of countries, including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Iran, and Haiti, which all have qualifying teams.

And as the administration turns up the rhetoric, there is even talk of an unprecedented boycott, cancellation of tickets, and a rather wayward suggestion to have the American team booted out of the games.

Well I say never mind the wars, and rumours of wars. World Cup will take pride of place on the global calendar. Previous tournaments have been known to put a hold on territorial disputes, executive orders, tariff impositions, and declarations of hostile intent.

It is a time when soldiers lay down arms, businesses announce temporary closures, Sunday sermons get shorter, and the world of sports becomes the focus for the greatest show on Earth.

I have already adjusted my armchair from its Tokyo orientation to the east and swivelled it in a western direction to keep track of the three-country spectacular that will unfold across my television screen this summer.

POPULAR PICK

They have made the World Cup bigger this year. Can you imagine keeping up with 80 matches, 48 teams, 1,248 players, in 16 cities – 11 in the USA, three in Mexico, two in Canada?

It is never too early to pick a winner, and already, Spain tops the bookies table in spite of their struggling at World Cup levels since they won in 2010. Nevertheless, they are a popular pick as Euro 24 winners with one of the best forward lines featuring the sensational 18 year-old Lamine Yamal and a robust midfield anchored by Pedri and Rodri.

Waiting in the wings for an encore are the defending champions Argentina, winners of the last two Copa Americas, with Lionel Messi teasing the imagination with a sly ‘maybe and maybe not, would love to …,” and so on.

But look at France. Back in 2022 they were solidly backed by my armchair analyst friends Keane and Skyers. Yet they had to bow to Messi and me in what is described as the greatest and most sensational final of all kinds and all times.

Imagine, Argentina had their way with two goals in the bag when suddenly, 30 minutes into the second half, France unleashed Kylian Mbappe, and the game was never the same again until the Argentinians regained stride and stamped their authority on the field.

France has not won any major tournament since 2020, but the likes of Mbappe and Michael Olise can change any game to su1t them in 2026.

Do not write off Portugal. Like Argentina, they are bent on making a lightning strike, with Ronaldo ready and raring to go and who desperately wants to win a World Cup before his retirement.

England is also favoured, singing their way in and out of the stadia, and coming off a second place in the Euro ’24. But I ask you, 60 years ago? Lots of heartaches for the Three Lions before they can pull this one off.

Jamaicans would never f0rgive me if I left Brazil out of the ratings, but we might have to give them a break this year. They haven’t reached a final since 2002, and their run of play includes that fatal 1-7 from Germany in 2014. Ah, Les Misérables.

Then there is Germany, a powerhouse to be reckoned with, but faltering over the last two tournaments, and certainly not the favourites for 2026. They are coming off a defeat on their home ground in Euro ’24.

RICH, NON-STOP FOOTBALL

Another of my favourite teams, but out of the running this year, is the Netherlands. Somehow, they will never be the same in the absence of Johan Cruyff.

The tournament promises rich, non-stop football. The opening match on June 11 sees Mexico vs South Africa, then it’s unto a roller coaster ride with Brazil playing Morocco on the 13th, Germany vs Curacao on the 14th, Spain on the 15th, and Argentina taking aim at Algeria on June 16 at 8 p.m. in the Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City.

Portugal is on show on the 17th, while England meets Croatia in a must-see match also on the 17th, rounding off six days of dazzling football.

Jamaica is still to qualify at time of writing this article, and if we do, you can count on gigantic local and diaspora as well as universal support for the most popular national colours ever to grace a sports field on the international stage.

As for the USA, who knows? The president himself may have to draw on his shorts to represent the team on the field, replicating a move by the Roman Emperor Nero who famously crashed the Greek Olympics in 67 AD, entered every event, and in one hilarious incident fell out of his chariot in a drunken stupor during the 100 yards race. He went on to claim the gold medal for every event he entered. Don’t change the channel.

Lance Neita is a public relations professional, historian, and author. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and lanceneita@hotmail.com.