FIFA World Cup 2026 has begun with a spectacular celebration, but behind all the flashy lights, this year’s event feels a bit off, and an uneven distribution of matches among the three host nations has sparked a debate.
For the first time in history, a World Cup is being co-hosted by three nations, the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Previously, Japan and South Korea hosted the tournament jointly in 2002.
This year’s expanded World Cup features 48 teams and 104 matches, with the United States staging 78 matches while Mexico and Canada have been allocated just 13 matches each.
Yet the disparity has sparked heavy criticism, particularly within Canadian and Mexican fans, who argue that the country's rich football heritage has been overshadowed despite becoming the first nation to host three World Cups (1970, 1986, and 2026).
Following a vibrant opening ceremony at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca, where the home team defeated South Africa 2-0, the local fans took to social media to voice their frustrations.
The buildup to the World Cup has been marked by controversies involving the US and president Donald Trump, including the war on Iran, one of the participating teams.
Relations between the USA and its neighbours have strained over trade disputes, immigration policies, travel restrictions, and the recent ban on football fans from countries like Ivory Coast, Senegal, Haiti, and Iran.
‘The match distribution feels unbalanced compared to the level of prominence given to the United States,’ a fan was quoted by MARCA.
The sentiment is similarly strained in Canada. On Instagram, viral footage from the opening ceremonies and fan festivals in Vancouver showed Canadian crowds booing the USA flag when it was paired with their other nations'.
Canadian fans also threatened to boycott the USA phase of the tournament due to widespread anger over Trump’s oppressive actions and ticket prices.
Criticism has also extended beyond the match distribution, with perceived commercialism and soaring ticket prices by FIFA.
Ticket prices have tripled or quadrupled for most matches, while the final is priced eight times higher than previous tournaments. According to reports by ESPN, the ticket prices on official resale platforms have also skyrocketed to thousands of dollars.
This situation has also affected the players. Cape Verde’s goalkeeper Vozinha was in tears after their goalless draw against Spain in the opening game, as his mother could not attend his first World Cup match due to visa and ticket issues.
