My 2026 World Cup Bits & Bobs
It's already been an excellent tournament. Here are my top three takeaways so far.
World Cup season is dangerous. It’s a surefire guarantee that I will be utterly distracted at match time no matter the nations playing. And if you make mention of anything Cup or football related, get ready for at least a 15-minute deep dive with me about each team’s tactics, match analyses, and player stories.
My obsession with football (soccer if you must) is a relatively new development in my life. Yet, it is lodged deep enough in my soul that I proclaimed in a drugged up post-surgery stupor that I was ready to quit my day job and become a full time professional football manager. (Fortunately the entire rant was captured on video and is included as evidence for your consideration/entertainment).
I will admit that I had a lot of worries leading into this year’s World Cup. The combination of the largest pool of teams in Cup history, the logistics of three host nations, freakishly inflated ticket prices, and the absolute uncertainty of what our current U.S. administration would suddenly decide to do as millions of foreign fans and players flocked to the country had my anxiety bubbling up. Fortunately, all things considered, I think we’ve been blessed with a really special, exciting, and successful tournament so far.
The incomparable duo of Rebecca Lowe and Brendon Hunt end each of their World Cup podcast episodes with a segment they call “Bits and Bobs”. It’s basically a chance for them to point out their highlights and nit picky gripes for each week. I therefore would like to present my three Bits and Bobs of the tournament so far.
The World Has Enjoyed True America
By now I am fairly certain you have seen any one of the plethora of videos of fans or players gleefully experiencing stereotypical American foods, landmarks, and city life. How completely awesome has this been!? I have mentioned in past posts that I am a massive fan of global sporting events like the World Cup and the Olympics for this exact reason. I love seeing fans and athletes of nations and cultures come together for a few weeks to participate in a shared passion. It reminds us of just how similar we truly are. We all love great moments in sports, fun food, laughing, cheering, and crying together. Cultural, political, and geographic barriers come down for just a moment and it is magical.
I really enjoy that these visiting fans and players get to see us. Not just the U.S. But us. It’s wonderful that they can see that we Americans aren’t defined by our president or government. We’re not the anger, filth, and division that our leaders show to the world. Instead, these visitors have been welcomed, accepted, and embraced by what America truly stands for. We, The People, are the best representation of America, and I’m grateful that the world has had a chance to experience it firsthand.
Hydration Breaks Suck
This had better be the last time we ever see mandatory hydration breaks. This is easily my number one complaint this year.
Hydration breaks made at the official’s discretion to support the health and safety of the players makes perfect sense and has been a well established feature of past games. But FIFA’s decision to have mandatory hydration breaks is purely a money grab and bastardizes the game into 4 quarters instead of the tactical challenge and endurance nightmare that is a true 2-half football match.
90 minutes of ad-free action is a massive draw for fans of the sport. We don’t need halftime shows, jumbo-tron screens, and constant cuts to celebrities in the stands. These hydration breaks feel like the gateway drug that nobody asked for, and one that ultimately devolves the beautiful game into the Super Bowl. Thank goodness for Telemundo right now.
Estoy contigo.
I Am Here For The Drama
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thierry Henry, and Alexi Lalas all deserve Emmy nominations this year. Some claim that the three commentators honestly get along well, and their apparent rivalry is merely a calculated move to generate captivating chemistry and boost ratings. Others argue that the jabs are entirely genuine, and they truly dislike each other. Regardless of the truth, I am totally here for it.
Watching Zlatan completely own Alexi while Henry gives the side-eye is peak entertainment. Rebecca manages to facilitate a well-informed discussion while simultaneously controlling the inflated egos of these wildly different footballers. Zlatan and Henry showcasing their ball handling skills while literally leaving Alexi to awkwardly dance by himself in the background because he can’t get a foot on the ball is sickly fun. Each interaction brings to mind scenes of Roy Kent turned commentator in Ted Lasso, and I love every minute of it.
