By Mark Nagi
So, here’s the thing about sports… there are many reasons not to like them.
Tickets are too expensive. Traffic is too bothersome. Fans are drunkards.
But every now and then, something comes around that makes us realize why sports are incredible theatre.
I give you… The 2026 World Cup, which is being hosted in a joint effort by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
Leading up to these games, all the talk was about everything but soccer itself. Iran had to move its training ground from the USA to Mexico. Fans were gouged by FIFA, soccer’s corrupt international governing body, in its efforts to buy tickets. Many overseas fans chose not to make the trip due to their views of America at the present time.
But about a week or two before the games began, a strange phenomenon got underway. The sport itself brought people together.
You had Spain, arguably the best team in the world, training in Chattanooga. The Algerian National team worked out in Lawrence, KS. Defending World Cup champion Argentina played a warm-up game against Ireland… at Auburn, with over 88,000 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Yes, Messi heard War Eagle chants.
Norway trained in Greensboro, NC, which allowed some team members to watch a Stanley Cup Final game in Raleigh. Erling Haaland, one of the best players in the world, cheered for the Carolina Hurricanes like he was a lifelong fan. Team Japan was in Nashville, and Ecuador was in Columbus, OH.
But that’s just the teams themselves. The most remarkable thing to come out of the World Cup was that people who had never been to the United States saw firsthand that this country was not as portrayed in the world media.
From experiencing the magic that is Buc-ees, to trying brisket for the first time in Texas, to getting free refills of soda in restaurants and convenience stores, to the magical invention known as air conditioning, there sure is a lot to like about this country.
The World Cup has been the best promotional tool for USA tourism since Baywatch.
Fans from all over the globe have brought their enthusiasm to our shores. Scotland fans descended on Boston and basically drank the city dry. English fans sang “God Save The King” deep in the heart of Texas. Supporters from the Netherlands turned Houston into a sea of orange.
It’s been a blast… and there are still a couple of weeks to go. You’ll see more fans from non-North American nations showing up as reinforcements, while others are returning to their homelands with stories about what’s going on in the States.
Far too often, we concentrate on the negatives. I’m as guilty of that as anyone. It’s hard to talk about college sports these days without mentioning the messes of NIL, the uncertainty of the future, and the devastating effects of conference realignment.
Here’s hoping that when those games begin again this fall, we will be able to put that aside and enjoy all the great things about sports.
The World Cup showed us the way forward.
