World Cup 2026: A groundbreaking tournament at home and abroad
The World Cup came to a tense conclusion on Sunday evening (July 19th) as reigning European champions Spain eked out 2022 winners Argentina in a cagey 1-0 victory.
As the latest installment of the tournament came to a close, UK viewing figures peaked at 17 million. For fans at home, Spain’s victory may have helped to ease some of the pain of England’s heartbreaking 2-1 semifinal defeat to Argentina last Wednesday night (July 15th).
England’s victory over France in the World Cup Bronze Final on Saturday (July 18th) saw the Three Lions achieve their best World Cup finish since 1966. The team’s thrilling 6-4 victory gave an entertaining end to an eclectic 39-day tournament .
A “massive boost” for Portsmouth’s pubs
The first summer World Cup in 4 years was a great success for many UK businesses. Pubs and bars across the UK saw a revenue boost as high as 90% during match periods this year, bringing some much-needed trade to the UK’s hospitality industry.
In Portsmouth, hundreds of people flocked to the city’s pubs at all hours to witness England’s journey to the last 4 of the tournament. George Skeates, owner of the Green Posts in London Road, saw his business almost match its record sales day of over £12,000 during England’s 2-0 victory over Panama in the group stage last June.
Speaking on the pub’s takings of roughly £11,700 during that game, Mr Skeates revealed that pubs are facing “really tough” challenges at present, also adding that “having this tournament in the summer has been a massive boost”.
A groundbreaking tournament
While the football itself may have been expected, with FIFA’s top 4 ranked teams all reaching the semi-final stage, World Cup 2026 has been groundbreaking in many ways.
The tournament was the first ever to feature 48 teams, extending the number of games played from 64 to 104. This change drew initial criticism, but as World Cup 2026 comes to an end, its inclusion of smaller nations like Cabo Verde and Curacao has brought some great benefits both on and off the pitch.
Capturing a new audience
One of the defining factors of this year’s World Cup has been the tournament's ability to capture a whole new audience outside of Europe. Co-hosts Mexico, Canada and the U.S.A all saw their teams reach the Round of 16 this year.
In the U.S. in particular, where football (or soccer) has traditionally struggled to draw crowds, the tournament has been a standout success.
The U.S. men’s national team broke the record for the most-watched football telecast twice during World Cup 2026, first during their victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina (26.4 million), then during their loss to Belgium (41 million) in the Round of 16.
Social media sensations
The popularity of this year’s World Cup can also be measured in the rising popularity of the tournament’s biggest stars. Household names in Europe like Messi, Bellingham and Ronaldo saw their social media followings grow by 5.3 million, 5.8 million and 10 million respectively, as an American audience fell in love with the beautiful game.
Vozinha, Cabo Verde’s heroic goalkeeper, saw almost unmatched social media growth (28.9 million) as a result of his incredible performances against Spain and Argentina. But the standout star for many in the U.S. was Norway’s Erling Haaland, who gained over 32 million followers and became a social media sensation during the tournament’s almost 6 week run.
“Footballers are becoming more like Hollywood stars”
While the games themselves may have drawn in many new fans, some experts believe the modernisation of football’s media image has helped to make its biggest stars more palatable to U.S. audiences.
From Haaland’s cheeky social media persona to Bellingham’s dazzling smile, “Footballers are becoming more like Hollywood stars.” says Dr. Sam Jethwa, of London cosmetic dentists Bespoke Smile.
“The way modern footballers present themselves in the media is not dissimilar to Hollywood actors” continues Dr. Jethwa, “their perfect smiles and polished personas are making the leap to American media a short one.”
Looking to next season
It remains to be seen whether new American fans will remain invested in the sport as Europe’s football leagues prepare for the new season to start in the coming months.
As the ‘which team should I follow?’ posts begin to swell on social media, fans at home may be hoping Pompey gain a few new supporters from across the pond.