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When the 2026 FIFA World Cup; https://aboutchampionships.com/, gets underway in North America, it is certainly not the first instance that this part of the world has hosted the beautiful game's greatest spectacle. In fact, the region has a massive and dramatic relationship with the tournament. From the high altitudes of Mexico to the historic 1994 event, past North American World Cups have completely changed the sport in the history of soccer. Here, we will explore the rich history of the FIFA World Cup across the continent ahead of the 2026 event.
To grasp the significance of the upcoming tournament, we must study history.
The Dawn of Modern Football
The 1970 FIFA World Cup is almost universally regarded as the most beautiful tournament in history. Organized by the Mexican authorities, this tournament changed everything for FIFA. It was the debut tournament to be shown in color television worldwide. Viewers everywhere fell in love with the vibrant colors of the dominant Brazil side. The sweltering conditions forced teams to play a slower, more methodical, and highly technical game, producing absolute poetry in motion. The Brazilians crushed Italy inside the legendary stadium, securing their third title.
Maradona's Masterpiece in '86
In 1986, the tournament came back to the Azteca, becoming the first nation to host twice. If 1970 was about the perfect team, the '86 edition was the absolute peak of one player: Diego Armando Maradona. The legendary number 10 won the tournament almost single-handedly with legendary displays of skill. The famous game against the English is arguably the most famous game in football history. Within those 90 minutes, he scored the most controversial goal ever and then immediately scored with the greatest solo goal in World Cup history. This World Cup solidified the Azteca's reputation as a temple of world football.
When the decision was made to host the event to the United States, many traditional footballing nations doubted the decision. America had no top-tier soccer league, and many feared that nobody would show up to watch. In reality, the 1994 tournament broke all expectations. Currently, it remains the undisputed king for total overall attendance, packing massive stadiums. The Brazilian team won their fourth title after a tense penalty shootout against Italy. More importantly, the huge popularity of the event directly fulfilled FIFA's primary condition for the US bid: the birth of the MLS.
