The World Cup is arguably the most popular football tournament on the globe. The sheer prestige of competing for the prestigious trophy that every country wants in their cabinet is unimaginable. Every four years, the conversations start swirling about which teams are favourites, which team would have a fairy-tale story and which big teams are going to predictably flop despite having talented individual players. This year’s World Cup is being co-hosted by three North American countries: the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. This is the very first instalment of the expanded format, where 48 teams now participate instead of the original 32 teams. Africa has ten representatives at the mundial, but an alleged giant of the continent that would not be mentioned is glaringly missing in action. Thankfully, I have adopted Cape Verde as the country I will be cheering for security reasons (wink wink).
On a more serious note, let me address the elephant in the room. Football has always been three things: sports, business and politics. The fans enjoy it purely as an entertaining activity, entrepreneurs see it as a venture, and governments see it as an opportunity for image laundering (the actual term for this is sports washing). One can’t help but wonder what the rationale for choosing this year’s hosts was, because they are not exactly the biggest footballing countries – one of those countries even refers to the sport as soccer. It’s hard to ignore the rumblings already heralding the event and interjecting the showpiece itself: immigration issues, geopolitics making a not-so-subtle cameo, high ticket prices and gaps between rabid football lovers and the cultural contexts of the host nations.
Am I hyped about this year’s World Cup? No. However, I don’t mind being proved wrong and pleasantly surprised. It’s not just me saying it; a lot of people are also saying it. I’m rather good at social listening, and I can say authoritatively that the buzz for this event isn’t as huge as previous events. It’s an obvious fact, but people who would otherwise say this have to walk on eggshells when making comments about a superpower; good-faith commentary seems to carry more consequences, and many sports aficionados simply don’t want to risk their words being lost in translation. That being said, if (and it’s a big if) this World Cup somehow beats the very low expectations and gives fans the fireworks they so crave, it would be solely caused by events on the pitch and not off it. All that aside, I’m here for the storytelling.
Here are some touchpoints I would be looking out for.
Ronaldo vs Messi
These are not just two players that have dominated football; these are leaders of two distinct footballing civilisations. Hence, the endless argument of who is the GOAT is a futile exercise because, in a way, it’s not just about their laurels and personal achievements; it’s what they represent to millions of their adoring fans all over the world. Both men would be participating in their sixth and possibly final World Cup. That in itself lends credence to the insane longevity of their careers. The little magician, touted to have the most educated left foot in the game, led La Albiceleste to the trophy in 2022, and many claimed he has “completed football” by winning every possible trophy there is to win. Fans of CR7, the most followed sports personality in the world with over a billion in social media following, would insist that he has proven himself over and over again with different teams – whether or not he wins the World Cup wouldn’t define his legacy. I just think we’re privileged to witness the greatness of these two men.
Brand Wars
Remember, I mentioned that sport is business? Well, there are leading sports fashion brands that are already battling for supremacy with outrageous storytelling campaigns. For the uninitiated, there is a reason why you would never see some of your faves in the same ad. It’s such a big deal for some brands that they have certain players signed to lifetime contracts just to ensure those universes remain parallel. As I said, there are many civilisations in sports, and loyalty is a powerful currency. Aside from the sales motivation of brands wanting to profit from the World Cup being hosted in one of the biggest consumer markets, this is also the centre of media and entertainment culture.
Peter Drury
I’m looking forward to the genius poetry of Peter Drury; this man makes you want to watch football with your eyes closed because he has learnt how to paint pictures in the minds of his listeners with his words. Easily the best play-by-play commentator in the world, his storytelling during football games is legendary. While the average Joe could say something like: “Kylian Mbappé has just scored his first goal of the 2026 World Cup”. Trust Drury to be extra: “Mbappé has started this World Cup the same way he finished the last. Like the Camembert au Four, this is only just the appetiser. He will be saving his pièce de résistance for the final match if Les Bleus make it that far in the tournament for the third edition in a row”. Bro is never beating the allegations.
Aura Farming
Is it just me or are some countries doing the most this time with their promotional campaigns? I have seen some very beautiful vignettes of national teams that curate their history, culture and football pedigree. Many countries are really invested in maximising the exposure their national teams would get to sell their homeland as the best thing since sliced bread on God’s green earth. I’m not gonna lie, the team with the most aura points has to be Norway. Mandem were killing their send-off photoshoot with that Vikings energy. Erling Halaand was giving Thor, son of Odin, vibes. It had all the trappings of Nordic and Scandinavian culture and then some more. If you are familiar with Norse mythology, you can tell that these guys are in Asgard.
The Stars & Stripes
It would be impossible to separate the World Cup from the backdrop of the United States of America celebrating its 250th Anniversary. Typical of the US to have main character syndrome, you would almost forget that two other countries are co-hosting the tournament. Brace yourselves for the political fireworks. Who knows, maybe by the end of the competition, President Donald Trump may finally abandon the idea of Canada being the “51st State” in the Union. Maple Leaf in the chat? Shebang! Mexico, their neighbours south of the border, may finally get to drink their glasses of Tequila without ice. By the way, I think Mēxihco has already shown that they would be the host with the most vibes. I saw how large swaths of their fanbase went un poco loco when they won the opening match against South Africa.
The centre of the political universe becoming the centre of the footballing universe for the next month or so would be interesting to behold, to say the least. If a different country were hosting this World Cup, I can bet that the media would have been singing another song. It underscores how the United States of America have built a machinery that can easily shift global narratives, especially using its cultural assets. In the words of Cersei Lannister, “power is power”. It won’t just be the sweltering heat that would affect the action on the pitch or grab the headlines; there is also the small matter of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Again, it’s not just me saying it, a lot of people are saying it. Hopefully, North America can make the World Cup great again. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
The post Mfonobong Inyang: How The 2026 FIFA World Cup Is A Global Stage For Storytelling appeared first on BellaNaija – Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!.
The World Cup is arguably the most popular football tournament on the globe. The sheer prestige of competing for the prestigious trophy that every country wants in their cabinet is unimaginable. Every four years, the conversations start swirling about which teams are favourites, which team would have a fairy-tale story and which big teams are
The post Mfonobong Inyang: How The 2026 FIFA World Cup Is A Global Stage For Storytelling appeared first on BellaNaija – Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!. Read More
