2026 organizers are growing aggressively

Last December, Argentina beat defending champions France in the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which required extra time and a penalty shootout. It was also an opportunity for Qatar to symbolically hand over the keys to the next World Cup to the three host nations, the United States, Canada and Mexico. These three selections, to varying degrees, represent the recent history of world football with certainly an irregular but growing evolution, eager to jointly organize this world competition, while Mexico (1970, 1986) and the United States (1994) have already been named host countries for the FIFA World Cup. Hosting an event of this scale often brings positives – and negatives – but at a sporting and cultural level, it always represents a much-needed boost to countries seeking a sporting renewal. These three major countries, members of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF), are betting a lot on this 2026 World Cup.

Stroll through its beautiful Qatari epic, painstakingly continue its reconstruction, or embark on a new journey to rediscover its glory days? The three national teams already have completely different sporting objectives in the post-2022 World Cup era. But the United States, Canada and Mexico share one key common ground: North America needs to develop and take a prominent place in world soccer. Also, it is no coincidence that CONCACAF is trying to explode its products, in every way, by organizing the XXL Copa Libertadores and the original Copa América together with the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). Lionel Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami coincided with the meteoric rise of the American Championship from an economic and cultural perspective. For Mexico, this World Cup is an opportunity to restore the nobility of Mexican football, a pioneer in its field at the regional level, to rebuild its championship.

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Promising Yanks

When the last World Cup was organized in Qatar, USA played well and qualified for the 8th final of the tournament. While the Netherlands are too formidable an opponent to pursue the dream (3-1), the Qatari epic remains a clear victory for Uncle Sam’s country, exiting Group B with England, Iran and Wales. While the glam generation of the 2000s (Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Jozy Altidore, Carlos Bocanegra) is a distant memory, Americans have become well-invested in soccer — soccer — in recent years. Nevertheless, the status of Major League Soccer has grown significantly and better times are to come, fueled by the arrival of Lionel Messi. Several young players have quickly caught the eye of European clubs in recent years: Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), Giovanni Reina (Dortmund), Taylor Booth (Altrecht), Joe Scally (Monchengladbach), Riccardo Pepi (PSV), Caden Clarke (Leipzig), Chris Richards ( Crystal Palace), Josh Sargent (Norwich) and Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) to name a few. Let’s not forget to include managers who are already well-integrated and performing well in Europe, such as Timothy Wee, Yunus Musa, Fowler Balogan, Sergino Test, Christian Pulisic and Weston McKenney, in the prime of their careers. On June 16, 2023, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced that coach Greg Berhalder, who had seen his contract expire in December 2022 after the World Cup, would return to coach the United States until the 2026 World Cup. Athletic Director Matt Crocker quoted. “Berhalter’s vision, experience and growth mindset will drive the team forward both on and off the field.”.

The backward Canucks

Just north of the United States, we see Canada experience its first World Cup in Qatar in 1986, when the World Cup was organized in Mexico. This is the second time for the story that the Canucks have participated in this great world. Football festival. If Canada, for too long, has been an invisible, invisible nation on the international soccer stage – or because they’ve only won two Gold Cups in their history (1985 and 2000), that’s continental too. Countries like Haiti, Guatemala or Honduras. Canada hasn’t played in the finals in over 20 years. Nevertheless, the Reds have managed to surround themselves with world-class players in recent years, with the Alphonso Davies-Jonathan David duo clearly representing the central core of improving the team’s performance. Because yes, unlike its American neighbour, Canada hasn’t had a completely solid foundation since British coach John Herdmann left to join Toronto FC, so it’s deputy Mauro Biello who’s still in charge today. The current state of the federation – including financial problems – could limit the search for the next coach. But there are still some realistic candidates that could be targeted by the federation. Not only will 2026 host the World Cup on home soil, but November will also feature the crucial Nations League quarter-finals. A win in this home-and-away tournament would book Canada a spot in the 2024 Copa America, meaning more potential dates against the elite nations the national team dreams of.

A vengeful streak

It is certainly the biggest selection in the CONCACAF region. Mexico is not necessarily presented in the world of football, but the glory days are struggling to come back out. Since the departure of the Colombian tactician Juan Carlos Osorio in 2019, Tata Martino has had the difficult task of renewing this Mexican selection, thus systematically replacing the side of historical figures of the past such as Chicharito Hernandez, Rafael Marquez or Giovanni Dos. After a relatively disappointing World Cup in Qatar, marked by elimination from Group C behind Argentina and Poland, it was time for a change with the departure of Tata Martino and the arrival of Jaime Lozano on the bench. A selection seems to be paying off for now as Tri won the Gold Cup by defeating Panama (1-0) in the final. But unfortunately, the only difference is in management players compared to Canada and USA. In fact, with the exception of Hirving Lozano (PSV), few elements play in major European clubs, playing in major competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League. The other problem is that, for the most part, there is little training for youngsters who now stay in Major League Soccer (MLS) and travel abroad to Europe. The 2026 World Cup is not tomorrow, Liga MX has always been a respectable championship, but Mexico must quickly find a golden generation and avoid drama at home (Guadalajara, Monterrey, Mexico), which will happen by making Santiago Gimenez (22) in charge. Age, Feyenoord) is showing great things in the Eredivisie.