World Cup 2026: Bigger, Louder, and Closer Than You Think
After the unforgettable 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, it feels almost unreal to say this: the World Cup is already coming back. And this time, it isn’t just returning, it’s expanding into something the sport has never seen before. Four years usually sounds like a long wait, but for football fans, it passes in a blink. One moment you’re still replaying the last penalty in your head, and the next you’re staring at a new countdown clock, a new set of stadiums, and a brand-new chapter of history loading in.
Welcome to World Cup 2026—the largest edition ever.
What makes 2026 different?
For the first time, the World Cup will be hosted across three nations—the United States, Mexico, and Canada. For the first time, the tournament expands from 32 teams to 48, with a massive 104 matches. That’s more games, more stories, more upsets, more “I can’t believe I just saw that” moments spread across an entire continent. It also means one thing that every fan understands immediately: Demand is going to be wild. Tickets are already being talked about like gold dust. If you want to be there and not just watch highlights, but live it, this is the World Cup where planning early genuinely matters.
The USA: where football history meets showbiz spectacle
The World Cup returns to the United States, a country that still holds the record for some of the biggest World Cup crowds ever. And if you remember USA ’94, you’ll remember the drama. The final of Brazil vs Italy gave us one of football’s most haunting images: Roberto Baggio walking up to take the decisive penalty and sending it over the bar. A moment that still hurts for Italy fans, even decades later. But USA ’94 wasn’t only heartbreak. It was also style, energy, and pure American theatre. Bright goalkeeper kits became fashion statements. The tournament felt like a cultural event, not just a sporting one. And yes, there was even the iconic opening ceremony moment with Diana Ross. Now imagine 2026 in a modern USA: Los Angeles. New York. Miami. Dallas. Stadiums built for massive events. Fan parks the size of festivals and a host nation that knows exactly how to turn sport into spectacle. Then there’s the most “America” thing possible: a halftime show at the World Cup final, Super Bowl-style.
Mexico: the sacred ground of football legends
Mexico doesn’t just host tournaments; it creates mythology. In 2026, Mexico will become the first nation in history to host the World Cup three times (after 1970 and 1986). That’s not a stat, it’s legacy. 1970 gave us Pelé lifting his third World Cup and Brazil playing football that felt like art. Brazil vs Italy in the final? A classic that still gets referenced whenever people debate the greatest teams ever. 1986 gave us Diego Maradona at full force: the Hand of God, the Goal of the Century, and a tournament that turned him into a permanent figure in football folklore. Mexico has always felt like a place where football becomes more than football—where heat, crowd noise, altitude, and emotion combine into something almost spiritual.
Canada: a first-time host with a rising football story
Canada joins the party as a World Cup host for the first time, bringing a completely different energy to the tournament. Known globally for its warmth and hospitality, Canada is also arriving at an exciting moment in its football timeline. The national team has been rising, the fan culture is growing, and hosting matches at home is going to add something special, especially for fans who want to experience the World Cup with a slightly different vibe: modern cities, clean infrastructure, and a fresh football identity. This World Cup unites an entire continent. From the sunny beaches and the celebrity glow of Los Angeles, to the “never sleeping” electricity of New York, from the historic football cathedrals of Mexico to the diverse, welcoming pulse of Canada—this tournament isn’t one destination, it’s a journey. More teams mean more matchups we’ve never seen. More underdogs with a real chance to shock giants. More new stars announcing themselves to the world. And more pressure on the favourites, because the margin for error gets thinner when the entire planet is watching. Legacies will be made. Records will be broken. Upsets will sting, and somewhere in the middle of it all, a moment will happen that becomes a permanent part of World Cup history. Lucky us, we’re alive to witness it.
Planning to experience it properly?
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I want to be there and not just watch it,” you’re already ahead of most people. World Cup trips are not ordinary holidays. They’re once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and the best ones are the ones planned with intention: the right cities, the right matchdays, the right atmosphere, and the right balance between football and travel. At Hermes Voyages, that’s exactly the kind of experience we’re built for—football travel that feels premium, smooth, and unforgettable. If World Cup 2026 is on your mind, start early
📰 Recent Blogs
