World Cup 2026: the empty circus that embarrassed football

World Cup 2026: the empty circus that embarrassed football

The image of Donald Trump holding the World Cup trophy as if it were his own, smiling beside the FIFA president, while Madonna showed off her legs and Tom Cruise delivered a motivational speech, perfectly summed up the spectacle surrounding the 2026 World Cup final. The match, between Spain and Argentina, was relegated to a sideshow by a production many called ridiculous, forced and excessively Americanized.

A multimillion-dollar show with no respect for football

FIFA and the American organizers turned the final into a mega pop event: from a gospel version of the US anthem to a Justin Bieber performance that went unnoticed by many, plus a nearly half-hour halftime that stretched the match to 105 minutes. The staging, with shadows of light towers and a drone buzzing over the pitch, was slammed as tacky even by Super Bowl standards. "It looked like Eurovision 2," one viewer summed up.

Refereeing controversy and rough play

The match was not free of controversy. There were 13 minutes of stoppages for kicks and fouls, 10% of total playing time, according to figures circulating on social media. A disallowed goal for Spain after an Otamendi dive, and the second-yellow sending-off of an Argentine player, fueled accusations of bias. "The referee didn't call the fouls, they didn't water the pitch so the ball wouldn't run," some fans complained. The Argentina squad's reaction, with the second captain confronting the Spanish players, was seen as a lack of sportsmanship that tarnished the occasion even further.

A business that scorns the essence of sport

Behind the farce lies an economic model: FIFA chose the United States as host not out of love for football, but for its financial muscle. The result was a spectacle that tried to please everyone — singers, politicians, Hollywood elites — and ended up draining all meaning from the pinnacle moment of the beautiful game. "It's all business," one analyst declared. "In the USA, it was never going to be any different." Meanwhile, the world watched, and many switched off the TV before the end.

The final paradox: the most striking stat is that, despite all the noise, the match lasted 120 minutes, but actual clean playing time barely exceeded an hour. The most expensive World Cup in history produced the tackiest final.