Has the 2026 World Cup Been a Success for the US?

Spain defeated Argentina in the 2026 World Cup Final in New Jersey on Sunday, and media outlets have reflected on whether the tournament has been a success for the US.

Success: In a feature for The Wall Street Journal Opinion (Lean Right), Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg described the tournament as "an eye-opening affirmation of American soft power" despite "political drama and a disappointing end to the US team's run." Robinson and Clegg cited the positive experiences many tourists shared on social media and said, "At a time when the Atlantic has never felt wider and US foreign policy has sometimes put the country at odds with even its oldest allies, the World Cup was a pointed reminder that America still possesses a shine dazzling enough to entrance the rest of the world." They mentioned that leading up to the tournament, there was a lot of chatter about high ticket prices, poor transportation options, and the Trump administration's immigration policies, but that the actual on-the-ground experience for most visitors seemed to be positive. The authors concluded, "While the 250th was a fraught celebration for those who see an insular, inward-looking nation sharply divided by politics and culture wars, the World Cup showed that these polarizing politics don't always need to define America."

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Failure: Tariq Ashikhy, in an opinion for The Conversation (Lean Left), said the World Cup "was supposed to project a US that is open to the world" but that "a string of controversies look set to turn the tournament into a lesson in how soft power can fail." Ashikhy cited the Florian Balogun red card saga, a Somali referee being barred from entry ahead of the tournament, and Iran's team being forced to stay in Mexico during the tournament as controversies that spoiled the US's image. He concluded, "Soft power through sport depends on a country delivering on the promises it makes to the people an event brings through its door… For prospective hosts planning their own turn on this stage, the 2026 World Cup may prove to be a far more instructive case study in failure than success."

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Other Angles: The Conversation also published an opinion from Tracey Holmes, who said that despite negative "Western media coverage," the tournament was a success and will leave a positive legacy. In an analysis for UnHerd (Center), Nikos Mohammadi described Sunday's final as a "Gaza proxy war," noting that "social media" has labeled Spain as the pro-Palestine team and Argentina as the pro-Israel one because of their governments' geopolitical stances.

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