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Key events
Kansas City calls itself the “Soccer Capital of America” and there is a good chance the World Cup champions will have called the Midwest metropolis home this summer.
England, Argentina and the Netherlands are all based in and around the city, with minnows Algeria also in the area for the 48-team tournament which kicked off on Thursday.
Kansas City was only awarded host-city status when it stepped in following Chicago’s withdrawal but it is big on the football scene, having invested almost $700million (£522m) in infrastructure, with MLS side Sporting Kansas City and NWSL outfit KC Current having purpose-built stadiums.
The Hendon Hall hotel in north London hosted England when they won the World Cup in 1966 but the Inn at Meadowbrook will be their home if Thomas Tuchel’s side add a second star to the shirt, with training based at Swope Soccer Village – the home of Sporting Kansas City’s second team.
“We are delighted to welcome England,” the chief executive of KC2026, Pam Kramer, told the Press Association. “The arrival of one of the world’s most followed national teams is a significant moment for our city.
“England’s decision to base themselves in Kansas City reflects our passionate sports culture, our spirit of hospitality and the world-class facilities that define our region. We are also proud to be hosting the Netherlands, Argentina and Algeria during the tournament, meaning four nations have chosen Kansas City as their home away from home.
“It is a powerful endorsement of the investments in our region and proof that the global game has become part of the fabric of life here. Kansas City has proudly earned its reputation as the Soccer Capital of America. Soccer has deep roots here.” PA Media
Mbappé is the latest in a distinguished line of France players to have taken on the far right. Zinedine Zidane famously called on voters to reject Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second round of the 2002 presidential election, describing his party as one “which does not correspond to France’s values”. Lilian Thuram was even more vocal in his opposition to Le Pen, who repeatedly attacked the national team over the diverse origins of its players.
Think you can predict the future? Have some fun plotting how the tournament will go with our interactive Bracketology thingamajig.
“I absolutely agree with Wryape (earlier comment),” emails Bill. “The group stages have been reduced to almost meaningless exhibition games.
“There’s going to be, I boldly predict, little to no thrilling heroics as a team gets a stomp on with twenty minutes to go to to nick a win to qualify for the knockout rounds.
“Couple that with the game now being played in four quarters (with the drinks breaks for adverts), and a ridiculous forty five minutes half time in the final it’s like someone stole our ball and now we won’t ever get it back.
“Anyway, I’ll probably still watch some.”
David Beckham now has his own star in Hollywood. I really need to watch more of his movies.
“I’ve always been a dreamer, but I could never have imagined that an honor like this would come to a working-class English soccer player like me,” Sir David said.
“How fitting then that I am here today as we prepare to celebrate the opening here in the US of the 2026 World Cup. It’s a powerful moment to recognize how the sport I love so much has grown in this country over the past three decades.”
A good start for English strikers last night as Folarin Balogun scored two for USA. The forward was born in New York but brought up in London can came through the ranks at Arsenal and is now impressing in Ligue 1 for Monaco.
Always found the immediate dismissal for a hair pull odd. It is difficult to prove intent on some of them, often looking like an accident when challenging for a ball. I appreciate some are deliberate but it never felt like a dark art being mastered by angry defenders.
Hair pulling no longer an automatic red card
The English Premier League said on Friday that pulling an opponent’s hair will not necessarily warrant an automatic red card under changes to refereeing guidelines for next season.
The league said in a statement that a red card will apply where hair pulling is carried out with “excessive force and/or brutality“, while incidents deemed to be deliberate but without excessive force will be punished with a yellow.
The change comes after Manchester United’s Lisandro Martinez, Everton’s Michael Keane and Sunderland’s Dan Ballard were sent off for pulling an opponent’s hair last season.
The clarification was part of a wider set of principles outlining how referees will apply the laws of the game in the upcoming season. The Premier League said that holding will be more closely scrutinised, with referees encouraged to penalise non-footballing actions that have a material impact on opponents.
Referees will also place more emphasis on protecting goalkeepers, penalising players who initiate contact without a genuine attempt to play the ball if it impacts the keeper’s ability to challenge for it. Reuters
If you were worried this blog was too World Cup heavy, then I am here to change all that. I will start with the important matters that everyone is too afraid to discuss and we shall go from there …
Thanks Will. Luck is something I desperately need. In the meantime, I will pontificate on what Mr Magee has for breakfast. Is a muesli or a fry up man?
Right, it’s time for me to go and get some belated breakfast after my early start. Will Unwin is taking the reins, and good luck to him.
A conversation-starter here. Which player ruled out through injury will be the biggest loss to their side? Tangentially, Michael Butler has put together a World Cup Omitted XI.
Which team will miss whom the most? I would say Japan would miss Mitoma more than Brazil misses Rodrygo. Would be interesting to see an article on all missing players and their teams.
A dubious honour, but historic nonetheless: Tim Ream made history yesterday when he became the first player at a World Cup to benefit from the International Football Association Board’s “mistaken identity” rule change. It was an interesting interpretation of the new rule, too. Here’s the lowdown.
An email has landed from Lars Bøgegaard, who, in reaction to the news of England’s stolen footwear, has invoked the memory of an iconic bootless strike from times gone by. “They have to give the golden boot(s) to Kane immediately,” he writes. “Or else he has to do it like Preben Elkjær!” For those who aren’t familiar with the Denmark great’s famous goal for Verona against Juventus in 1984, here it is in all its grainy glory.
No doubt this is going to be a common complaint as the group stage wears on. And it really could wear on. How much World Cup is too much World Cup, ugly politics aside? We may well be about to find out.
With 3 points and a +3 goal difference the USA team are now almost guaranteed to get out of the group after 1 match played. What a farce this expanded world cup is - theres almost no jeopardy.
When Brazil take on Morocco later on, they will do so without Rodrygo. The Real Madrid winger sustained a knee injury in March which ruled him out of the World Cup, but will still be in the US to support the Seleção. Amid his recovery, he’s written about the “immense sadness” of missing the tournament and not hearing his name called by Carlo Ancelotti when the squad was announced, but also the support he has received, his pride in Brazil and his belief that the team can do something special.
Anecdotally, I think a lot of people are feeling this way. From the Iran conflict to the treatment of Omar Artan and everything in between, it’s a tournament of almost unbelievable political extremes. Then again, after Russia and Qatar, and with Saudi Arabia 2034 to come, it may be the case that this is now the rule, not the exception.
I’ve not watched any games yet. Just can’t seem to separate the politics from it. I’m sure I’ll watch a couple of games this weekend and I’m hoping that gets me into it. I love the World Cup but I think we and others should’ve boycotted it.
Looking for some extra reading? Jacob Steinberg and David Hytner have delved into the making of Declan Rice, England’s midfield powerhouse, whose performances could feasibly be the difference between success and failure at this tournament.
An optimistic prediction for Scotland here. While Haiti thrashing New Zealand 4-0 raised a few worried eyebrows, it should be noted that they lost 2-1 to Peru three days later. It’s always hard to judge a team by their warm-up matches given the wholesale changes, and Haiti do have some danger men like Duckens Nazon and Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor, but Steve Clarke’s side are still favourites.
I can't realistically see Haiti doing much. I'm fairly confident Scotland will stroll to a 2 nil win.
The chat between Max, Barry and Seb and Pablo is also available in video form, by the way. Just in case you like to see all the fancy equipment, novelty mugs and so on.
It looks like it’s been good, silly fun at Scotland House in Boston. It’s the small hours over there at the moment, but no doubt there are a few parties still going.
If you prefer your football coverage in podcast form – don’t worry, I won’t be offended – you’re in luck, as the latest episode of Football Weekly has just dropped. Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Seb Hutchinson and Pablo Iglesias Maurer to discuss the USA’s strong start, Canada’s clawed-back point against Bosnia and Scotland’s chances against Haiti later.
Any Scotland fans out there in the ether? How do you reckon things will go against Haiti? Feeling cheerful? Optimistic? Anxious? Get in touch via the email above.
Scotland’s first World Cup match since 1998 is fast approaching and, judging by the photos coming out of Boston, the fans are determined to enjoy themselves one way or another. Paul MacInnes has been taking the temperature in the city’s bars, pubs and tap rooms – nice work if you can get it – while Ewan Murray brings the sober, serious analysis. Meanwhile Bryan Armen Graham has the inside track on Haiti, who have been waiting even longer than Scotland – 52 years, to be precise – to make their comeback at the tournament.
In what feels like an enjoyably bizarre subplot from a World Cup film directed by the Coen Brothers, some enterprising individuals have stolen England’s boots. As reported by Jacob Steinberg, the Football Association will have to liaise with local police in Kansas City as it attempts to retrieve the misappropriated items. If that fails, presumably Harry Kane and co will have to take on Croatia barefoot.
A man in a tracksuit appeared holding aloft a golden ball, like some ancient deity hoisting god’s gonad on his shoulders. At which point an enormous golden Fifa sign appeared, all four letters at least 50ft high, winched down out of the ether like a vision of divine grace – if not the most ludicrous sporting spectacle of all time, then surely the most ludicrous yet.
Barney Ronay was at Los Angeles Stadium last night and, well, it might not be quite right to say he enjoyed the surreal pomp, pageantry and flag waving, but he certainly witnessed it. Here’s his take on events.
Preamble
We’re four games in and this tournament has already had it all: bombastic visuals, belting goals, dramatic comebacks, wide-eyed referees handing out red cards like sweeties, and the sort of political grotesquerie that makes tuning out seem like the last sane option. It’s the Doomscroll World Cup: you know it’s bad for you, but it feels almost impossible to look away.
After the USA’s opening stroll against Paraguay last night, Qatar take on Switzerland next up at 8pm (all times BST) before Brazil go up against Morocco at 11pm. Then it’s time for Scotland’s high-stakes match against Haiti at 2am, while Australia and Turkey face off at 5am.
In the meantime, you can follow all the buildup, latest news, scandals, controversy and geopolitical maneuvering here. As Gianni Infantino might say to the backdrop of a world in flames, chill, relax, and enjoy the show.
