I don’t know about you, but I am totally glued. I can’t get enough. I watch every minute of every game. I have always been a fan, but this is quite wild. No matter who takes the field, I am tuned in for each game. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is legit. Setting records on and off the pitch. The tournament has delivered record-breaking crowds, television audiences, and streaming numbers. Fantastic.

The US TEAM was eliminated last week. They had a poor showing against Belgium in the round of 16. I always said that you don’t mix sports with politics. Trump always seems to get involved. Monday’s match set all kinds of marks. Over 42 million fans tuned in to watch the 4-1 rout. It was a record broken the very next day, as 44.8 million watched England’s dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico. These numbers are from FOX, TELEMUNDO, and PEACOCK only. They do not include any of the FIFA streaming services. Staggering. These tallies rival CBS’s March Madness and even the NFC and AFC Championships. Staggering.

This is the 23rd edition of the men’s international soccer tournament. Things got officially started on June 11th, and the finals are slated for July 19th. 2026 features a historic expansion to 48 teams and is jointly hosted across 16 venues in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. 104 matches across North America. The FIFA World Cup occurs every four years, and it is the largest sporting event in the world. Over 200 national teams compete in regional and sectional qualifiers to earn their spots. This process takes 2 years. The 48 squads that make up the tournament are then divided into 12 groups. Each team plays three round robins. The top 32 teams advance to the knockout stage. A single-elimination bracket. Oh, the excitement.

Lionel Messi is the man. The Argentine striker is the best in the world. Argentina is still alive. The defending champions are among the favorites. Messi is co-leading the tournament with 8 goals. He was brilliant in their comeback over Egypt. Down 2 scores with 10 to play. Messi scored on an incredible volley and assisted on a goal just a few minutes later. It was incredible. Kylian Mbappe from France is also legit. He too has 8 goals for the French. These guys are on another level. Opponents will rough them up and double-team, but they still find the net in every game. Mbappe has 20 career World Cup goals. He has played in 20 World Cup matches. Do the math.

Many of my friends are calling me a homer. Look. My great-grandfather, Jens Jensen, came over in the late 1800s. Yes. I have tons of Norwegian blood on both sides of the family. Norway is on a great run, and they are the darlings of the tournament. Norway upset Brazil to advance to the quarterfinals. Cinderella. They are still dancing in the streets of Oslo. The Norwegians have a great fan base. Their VIKING ROW chant has gone viral. Look it up. Norway is led by its 6’5 long blonde-haired striker. Erling Haaland is an animal. An incredible athlete who runs like a deer. Erling has 7 goals in the tournament. My son and I pulled the trigger on some jerseys. We plan to wear them with pride on Saturday. Vikings unite. Cheers.