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For the first time in 32 years, the United States will be one of three host nations for one of the biggest sporting events in the world: The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Men’s World Cup. The World Cup is a major soccer tournament hosted every four years that draws roughly five billion viewers worldwide and brings together teams from around the world. The first match will kick off at noon on June 11, and the finals will be played at noon on July 19. Games will be played in cities across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The games in California will be played in major cities like Los Angeles and Santa Clara, and the excitement will not only spread across the United States, but also in Marin County and at San Marin High School.
One of the biggest effects that the World Cup has on San Marin is the local impact. A major tournament being close to home makes the event feel more real and makes people tune in to what is going on.
“I think that students at San Marin will start caring a lot more and be very into the World Cup since it’s close to where we live,” sophomore Owen Paine said. “Personally, I believe that when a sporting event is closer to where you live, it is more significant. Also, many students are going to be very excited to watch teams they love and be in a great mood all across San Marin.”
The World Cup’s influence is likely to reach far beyond the stadiums. In Marin County, the tournament could bring players, students, families, and friends together for an event that happens only every four years.
The FIFA World Cup may also inspire more young soccer players hoping to take their skills to the professional level. Youth clubs, recreational and school teams will likely see more people trying out because younger students will become more engaged with the sport after watching the world’s best players compete.
“[The World Cup] gets [kids] used to how competition is and what they are looking forward to,” sophomore Julian Del Toro said.
The tournament also offers a rare opportunity for students to connect about what they see on television. People can communicate with each other based on a mutual interest in the tournament. It will create common ground between people and will help grow friendships, and also make new ones.
“I think people are going to talk about [the World Cup] more because it’s in the United States,” senior Angel Yam said. “It’s going to grow friendships because of a common interest in the World Cup.”
As excitement builds ahead of the 2026 World Cup, its presence in the United States has already begun to make an impact. Whether through school conversations, team spirit, or simply more people tuning in to watch, the tournament will influence how people view soccer, both globally and here at San Marin.
