What You Should Know about the World’s Biggest Sporting Event
Around the world, people are passionate about football, although depending on where you’re from, you might call it something else. In the United States and Canada, “football” usually refers to a different sport entirely; the hard-hitting, gridiron version played with helmets and touchdowns. But everywhere else, “football” is the world’s game: the one played with a round ball, two goals, and the dreams of entire nations behind it. Whether you grew up kicking a ball through the streets of Buenos Aires, Dakar, Tokyo, or Berlin, or you’re just beginning to appreciate the magic of the sport, there’s no event bigger than the FIFA World Cup.
In 2026, the World Cup returns in spectacular fashion, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It’s a tournament that transcends language, borders, and politics; a month-long celebration of skill, pride, and sheer human drama. From the packed stadiums of Mexico City to the buzzing fan zones in Toronto to the roaring crowds in New York, the world will come together to witness unforgettable moments.
Lifelong fans and newcomers alike will enjoy these 12 surprising facts about why the World Cup remains the most watched and beloved sporting event on the planet.
Check out these 12 surprising facts:
1. The World Cup Is Bigger Than the Super Bowl:
FIFA claims the World Cup is the largest “single-event sporting competition in the world.” It’s not kidding. Unlike the NFL, which has 32 teams vying for a chance at the Super Bowl, more than 200 national teams compete to win the World Cup. An expanded group of teams, 48, will compete in the final tournament.
2. Fact #1’s Proof Is In the Viewer Pudding:
The Super Bowl might be broadcast worldwide, but it still hasn’t reached the total viewing audience the FIFA World Cup final had. The 2022 final in Qatar reached 1.5 billion viewers globally, dwarfing the Super Bowl’s 115 million. When FIFA says it’s the biggest event in the world, it’s not exaggerating.
3. The World Cup Is Much Like the Olympics of Football (Soccer):
Like the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup is only played every four years, but focuses on one sport that nearly every country plays. During the three years in between, the teams compete for one of the 48 (previously 32) places available in the final month-long competition.
4. The World Cup Was Not Played During World War II:
Since the FIFA World Cup is a national competition, the competition was not held in 1942 or 1946 due to the unrest from World War II. These cancellations have been the only ones in the competition’s 84-year history.
5. North America Is Making History in 2026:
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico will co-host the 2026 World Cup, the first time three countries have done so. Expect packed stadiums from Toronto to Mexico City, Los Angeles to New York.
6. World Cup Fans Love Hot Dogs and Beer as Much as We Do:
During the 2010 World Cup finals held in South Africa, rabid football fans consumed 390,600 hot dogs and washed them down with 198,129 gallons of beer. North American spectators will likely top that.
7. The Players Like Their “Comforts” as Well:
Russian goalkeeper Lev Yashin played in three World Cup competitions from 1958 to 1966. When asked what made him such a formidable contender, Yashin replied that he liked a cigarette to calm his nerves and a shot of alcohol to tone his muscles. Not exactly part of modern sports science, but it worked for him.
8. Shirts and Shoes Are Required:
Some players might pull off their shirts at the end of a game, but in 1950, India qualified for the World Cup and declined to play. Team finances were one reason, but the team played barefoot and didn’t want to wear the mandatory footwear.
9. Losing Your Pants Can Get You to the Final:
Regarding mandatory dress, Italy’s Giuseppe “Peppino” Meazza made World Cup history in 1938 when his penalty kick took Italy to the final. What was so special about that? Meazza’s shorts fell as he ran to the ball. He pulled them up and kicked the ball anyway, shocking Brazil’s goalie, who failed to block the point. Italy went on to win the tournament.
10. World Cup Champions Have Yet to Experience a Trifecta:
World Cup victories do not come in threes. No team in the final World Cup competition has won the championship three times in a row, and only Brazil and Italy have won it back-to-back. There have been plenty of repeat champions, but never a three-peat. The trifecta remains elusive.
11. Football Legend Pele Outshines Fact #10… Sort Of:
No single team has won the World Cup three times in a row, but perhaps the most famous footballer of all time, Brazil’s Pele, has three World Cup championships. He is the only player to have won the competition that many times.
12. You Can Plan Ahead for the World Cup:
The 2030 FIFA World Cup locations have been set. For the first time, three countries from two continents will host the competition, with Morocco, Portugal, and Spain as host nations. Moreover, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the FIFA World Cup, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will each host one game.
The roar of the crowds and the global impact that the FIFA World Cup championship garners are second to none. While some of these facts were fun and others were serious, all of them testify that football, or soccer to Americans, is genuinely one of the biggest sports throughout the world. The global competition and national pride rival that of the Olympics; the rabid fans rival those of the NCAA and NFL football. FIFA was correct when it said the World Cup is the biggest single sporting event in the world. Tune in and find out why. I guarantee that you will become a football fan of a different kind.
Looking to learn more about the World Cup? Check out these sites:
- The History Channel’s 80 Years of World Cup Facts provides fun and fascinating facts you probably didn’t know about this international championship event.
- News giant CNN provides us with World Cup fast facts that are sure to help any novice understand the basics of the competition and how the teams advance to the final game.
- FIFA, the host organization of the World Cup, discusses previous competitions and how this championship affects its fans and host nations.
Related: Learn about Travel Insurance for the World Cup