At FIFA World Cup 2026, a game bigger than its grand spectacle

As Spain and Argentina face off on Sunday in what will be their first meeting in the FIFA World Cup since 1966, the finale promises a grand spectacle. Spain’s near-impregnable defence will encounter Argentina’s potent attack in a game that will see the long-anticipated meeting between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, whom Messi famously cradled as a baby almost 20 years ago. Yet, whatever the outcome at the New York New Jersey Stadium, this World Cup will be remembered for far more than the team that lifts the trophy. The tournament’s expansion from 32 teams to 48 had drawn criticism, particularly in Europe, on the grounds that it would make the competition less compelling. Far from it, the expanded format has not only made the Cup more inclusive, with Africa and Asia enjoying greater representation, but also produced some of its most enthralling encounters, featuring Japan, Senegal, Egypt and tiny and underrated Cape Verde. Technology was a defining feature of the tournament. If FIFA believed that AI-assisted officiating tools, sensor-equipped match balls and semi-automated offside technology would finally settle refereeing disputes, then VAR (video assistant referee) interventions over contentious fouls and strange offsides ensured the opposite. The question is not whether technology belongs in football, but how far its adjudicators should allow it to shape the game’s crucial moments. Finally, controversies over immigration, ticketing, the treatment of Iran’s national team, and the reversal of Folarin Balogun’s red card are a reminder that the World Cup has never been just about football. From Mussolini’s Italy in 1934 to Argentina’s military junta in 1978, the World Cup has long been a stage on which host governments project prestige and power and legitimacy. The 2026 edition was no different. Nor are the players immune from it. Following the semi-final victory over England, Argentina now faces the prospect of disciplinary action after its players unfurled a banner backing the country’s claim to the Falkland Islands. Yet, for all the debates over inclusivity, technology and politics, the World Cup has ultimately lived up to football’s enduring moniker as the beautiful game. Last-minute winners, dramatic comebacks, extraordinary underdog performances and teeming moments of individual brilliance have made sure that the football itself has never been overshadowed. The spotlight now falls on Spain and Argentina.