As the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Mexico City, the largest tournament in the competition's history has begun. For the first time, 48 teams will take part, with matches played across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Yet the most remarkable feature of this World Cup may not lie on the pitch at all. While the tournament's political significance in the United States is hard to miss, public enthusiasm has so far remained surprisingly muted. President Donald Trump has been closely involved in the preparations—establishing a national World Cup task force, appearing at key FIFA events, and announcing that he intends to hand the trophy to the winners himself. At the same time, polls suggest that large parts of the American public are approaching the tournament with comparatively little interest. It is precisely this tension that makes the event such a revealing lens on the United States as host.
