🤔 Was the 2026 World Cup worth it?

The biggest sporting event in history might also have been the most detrimental!

This was THE World Cup. The biggest World Cup by almost every measure.

The most teams, host nations, viewers, sponsors. The highest attendances, revenue, ticket prices.

It was the World Cup of extremes. The good stuff was very good - Cape Verde’s run, Mexico v England at the Azteca, the thrill of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland all showing up in a big way.

The bad stuff, however, was very bad in a way that might have serious repercussions for the future of the sport. The 2026 World Cup might have been a watershed. Football may never be the same again.

So was it worth it? FIFA would say so. The rest of us? Hmmmm.