America's World Cup spectacle smashes expectations

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is delivering a masterclass in global monoculture, stacking blockbuster ratings, on-field theatrics and a superstar race for soccer immortality.

Why it matters: Skeptics spent months bracing for the World Cup to collide with a polarized, parochial and priced-out American public. The tournament has answered back with the largest U.S. viewing audiences in soccer history.