“Is There Respect for World Football?”

That was the question I raised in theJune editionof this column.

The United States was a major host nation of this year’s FIFA World Cup™. The World Cup is “a festival for all humanity,” eagerly awaited by people around the world, and the world’s greatest football tournament. 32 years ago, when the tournament was held in the United States in 1994, the stadiums were full and the matches generated plenty of excitement. But there was no festive atmosphere at all in the cities. It felt like a rather subdued World Cup. This year, my question was whether the United States would understand the feelings of football supporters around the world and whether the country as a whole could create the same sense of excitement.

In that respect, I think this “American” World Cup could be described as a great success.

There were undoubtedly a number of problems. The biggest was the complexity of the country's current relationship with the rest of the world, with people from a number of countries being barred from entering. Just before the tournament, there was even an incident in which a Somali referee was denied entry to the United States and was unable to take part in the World Cup.

Iran had come through the Asian qualifiers and was widely expected to progress far in the tournament, but was at war with the United States and other countries. It was even reported that they would not take part. Despite all three of their matches being played in the United States, they were forced into the disadvantageous arrangement of staying in Mexico and travelling back and forth from there for each match.

Above all, one of the biggest issues at this World Cup was the soaring cost of match tickets. Prices were already several times higher than at previous tournaments, and the introduction of “dynamic pricing,” under which prices rise and fall according to supply and demand, meant that tickets for important matches reached what could only be described as exorbitant prices.

Adding to the burden on supporters, FIFA removed restrictions on resale prices. Until the previous World Cup, tickets on the official resale platform could only be resold at face value. This time, sellers were free to set their own asking prices, and when a transaction was completed, FIFA collected a 15 per cent fee from both the seller and the buyer—a total of 30 per cent.

FIFA explained that “this is all in line with business practices in the United States,” but it prompted an outcry from supporters around the world.

FIFA eventually announced that the tournament had generated approximately USD 15 billion (around 2.5 trillion yen) in revenue. Among the countries competing at this World Cup, that is an amount comparable to the national budget of Uruguay.

After United States forward Balogun was sent off in the round of 32, President Trump called FIFA President Infantino, and Balogun was subsequently cleared to play in the next match. This, like the ticketing issue, was a problem for which FIFA, rather than the United States, should bear responsibility.

Inspired by the impressive performances of the United States national team in the first half of the tournament, the World Cup appeared to capture the attention of the American public. As many as 66.4 million people watched the final live in the United States. In addition to the official Fan Festivals held in the host cities, public viewings were organised across the country, while many people gathered to watch matches in bars and restaurants, adding to the excitement nationwide.

Since the launch of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996, football has grown rapidly among Americans as a spectator sport. At the same time, immigrants from around the world added to the excitement of the tournament by wearing their respective national team shirts and supporting their countries of origin.

Above all, it was the atmosphere inside American stadiums that delighted supporters who had travelled from around the world. As tens of thousands of people sang and danced together, connections were formed across national and ethnic boundaries.

Despite FIFA—the governing body of world football, which has run the World Cup for a century—becoming obsessed with money, and despite its president acting in a way that went against the principles of the game, perhaps it was the American people genuinely enjoying the World Cup together with people from around the world that made it such a wonderful tournament. The American people showed admirable “respect” for football and for the World Cup.

Written by OSUMI Yoshiyuki (Football Journalist)

*This article was originally posted on the Japan Football Association Newsletter, “JFAnews,” August 2026 edition.

Japan Football Association Newsletter “JFAnews”

The Japan Football Association Newsletter “JFAnews” contains all the information on the Japan National Team, events hosted by JFA, tournament results, and team information throughout the nation. The official monthly magazine is a must read for coaches, referees, and all members of the football family.

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