REPLAY: FRANCE 24's special coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
🔴 ⚽ 🇲🇽 🇿🇦 Watch FRANCE 24's special live coverage ahead of the 2026 FIFAWorldCup opening match Thursday, with host Mexico playing SouthAfrica.
Transcript
And four games in all the largest format ever to take place. But in the end there'll be just one winner. So will it be the crowned kings of world football who will be crowned? Would it be a knockout of one of the big guns? And who could cause a surprise? And what should we make of all of this in this new format that'll see more teams go through to the knockout stage than not? We'll be sending out our own Selina Sykes to cover everything in the United States in just a couple of days time. Selina? >> Yeah, that's right. We'll be following We'll be following France. So allez les bleus. >> But we're going to keep you with us for now for tonight. Emily Boyd will be reviewing all the action for us in the in the mornings with me as well. And you'll be here over the weekend so throughout the tournaments. >> Yeah, I'll be cheering on Switzerland. Hop Suisse. >> And we've got to have one for Switzerland here. And Ruben Selles is very happy to have you back. And of course you'll be one of our regulars on the mid midday show 1:30 p.m. of course in Paris. And we know that you are supporting of course >> I'm supporting Curacao but I'm from Canada. >> There's some kind of connection going over just there. We're so less than an hour away from kickoff. Let's just head to Mexico where everything is then taking place. There is the opening ceremony happening as we speak. And we're going to head then to Yoan Griot who's outside the Azteca Stadium just over there. Yoan, legendary stadium. I can imagine there's a pretty big fever going on around the country and in Mexico City. This game's taking place in three different stadiums over there. >> Yeah, absolutely. I'm in the atmosphere is quite incredible. The opening ceremony was very interesting. They had a lot of very Mexican kind of Aztec symbols as well as modern music, a lot of mariachi, ranchero, a lot of um like like reggaeton. So really electric atmosphere at the stadium and around the fan fest. A lot of people are making a lot of noise. At the same time, there's still protests quite close to here and some tension. But most people are starting to get lost right now in the atmosphere and the euphoria of football itself. >> And what what are the hopes then for the home team over there? I mean Mexico got quite a calibrated group I can perhaps say. South Korea South on their side. Czech Republic also in there. What do you think? >> Well, Mexico is a home team. A lot of enthusiasm right now. And they did very well in the friendly games in the lead up to the World Cup. Now historically, Mexico is not a Brazil. It's not an Argentina. It doesn't have World Cups to its name. The furthest it's got is to the quarter finals. But if it can get to the quarters, the semis, or all the way, you never know. And Mexico does also have the novelty having the youngest player in the tournament of 17 years old. So let's see. I mean, we hope today or the Mexican fans are hoping that South Africa won't ruin the party and the Mexican team will bring it home with all this euphoria right now in the city. >> Yeah, definitely hope that they can keep the spirits high there in Mexico City at the legendary then Aztec Stadium where the assembly is happening as we speak. We'll come back to you a little bit later in the show. Yousef, thank you very much for now. Um I'd like to just ask you all guys here on set, how you feeling on your side about this World Cup? Ruben? >> Very double double feeling like everyone I think. We all just had a debate here before, so we're not going to to do the debate all over again. But yeah, there's so much going on around. The fact that we're already talking a bit more about Mexico to right now is I think a very positive thing because yeah, the the main focus for now has mostly been about the United States. Um There's of course also the football parts. Uh and then yeah, of course the the moment it will start it's still World Cup. So yeah, seeing football matches between countries and and and in the end the fight for the for the title is always exciting to watch. So that will be good, but I think that we will every day have also talks about other things. >> Other things yeah, as you just come in. Um is there anything that you're in particular like particularly excited about, Emily? >> I'm particularly excited about discovering some new teams, some first-timers on the world stage for the first time, Chris, that you mentioned earlier on. >> format we've got so many smaller teams. >> And the format can be debated, but I'm I'm quite glad to see a number of of new countries being able to play in front of huge crowds and for me to be able to watch them, I think it's quite exciting. So I'll be looking out for the newcomers, definitely. >> Selina, I'm sure you're happy to be discovering uh Boston in a couple of days' time. But about the pitches, anything in particular that's caught your your eye? Or is it going to all be about France on your side? >> Oh, it's Oh yeah, obviously it's going to be about France. Uh for us we'll be following them throughout the tournament. Mainly on the East Coast, but we'll be talking about that later on. Obviously yeah, a lot to pay about the heat as well. I've heard some stories about the pitches maybe not being up to scratch. But as we were talking about earlier on, obviously I think that well, this is the third World Cup in my memory where there's obviously been a lot talk beforehand about politics and the host nations. This one feels like there's been a lot more noise >> Well, because we had Russia. >> Yeah, of course. >> we had Qatar. >> Exactly. And now this was supposed to be the one which wasn't supposed to be like that for FIFA. They got awarded this World Cup, the US, when I think Obama was still in charge. So it wasn't supposed to be like this, but here we are. We're talking a lot about politics again. Will that all go quiet once the ball gets kicked? Probably to an extent, but I think compared to Qatar, probably that's still going to be an underlying factor mainly because obviously Iran will be playing at this World Cup. >> Absolutely. Yeah, we can't leave any politics out of it especially when of course I mean it is something that you know all eyes are going to be drawn attention on. We're going to try and stay out of in in this nice out of the politics takes and all. But the question is you know are we going to see we've seen the likes of Donald Trump attend the NBA finals this week. Haven't heard so much though about him attending football game or >> Yeah, yeah it was already talk there was already a talk about it also in the debate that the issue for him is that in the 11 state 11 stadiums are all in Democrat cities. So already in the NBA match he was booed and cheered. So yeah, is it in out of his interest to go there? Maybe not. It will be for sure we will hear every day a lot about Donald Trump in whatever way he will be commentating. So yeah, it he knows what he's going to do. But yeah, at least tonight we're Mexico he won't be there because in general it's not the place where they will really like him I think. But yeah, it's Yeah, it will be a lot about about that man of course. Yeah. >> All right. Well, it's not just Mexico playing tonight versus South Africa. There's another game coming up later on that will be South Korea in the same group then facing off against Czech Republic and other co-hosts at Canada play Bosnia Herzegovina tomorrow. Those are the games then to come with the tournament's third co-hosts playing then on their side on Saturday when the United States will be playing at Paraguay. Paraguay who are my second team in the sweepstakes. So go Paraguay on that. >> Um separate opening ceremonies are actually taking place in in in in each country. So we've got one taking place now in the Azteca Stadium but we've got them taking place also in Canada and in the USA and and and in in in the USA of course as well trying to get through all of them. But again, I mean is this you know we talk about bringing more money more everything back into the football or are we right to be celebrating in every country? >> I don't know. You know, it's so much part of the the spectacle. I guess it's an opportunity for people to make a show of themselves and what they have to offer. Um, yeah, I think there's probably a too too much cash being being splashed around. We know that it's probably one of the most expensive World Cups, one of the most expensive in terms of its contribution to climate change as well. >> Cuz that's another argument that came up last time round being the most expensive, the most but it's exactly the same thing if not more this time. >> Yeah, well, it will probably continue being the same thing year on year because these are the standards that were setting which is unfortunate cuz it takes away from the soul of football. But uh hopefully some of these ceremonies are also an opportunity to celebrate the sport and celebrate the culture and the fans around it. So, yeah, a kind of two tones to those ceremonies, I reckon. >> All right. Well, let's head to the United States and get a a bit of a feel of what it's like over there. Wassim Koné, our correspondent, is in Los Angeles. I think we can get through to him now. Wassim, um if you're there with us, are you there with us tonight? Yes, the United States will be playing over this weekend. Um we know last time round reached the round of 16 uh in the last tournament. They drew twice in that group stage. That included a draw to England. They were knocked out after that by the Netherlands. Uh what are the hopes for the United States going into this? >> Yeah, you know, the conversation here in the US around Team USA's expected performance is surprisingly pessimistic given the squad that they do have. It's perhaps the deepest deepest most talented US squad they've had in recent memory. Some of the top players play in some of the most prestigious European clubs. Many of them have had really really good seasons. And despite that, there's very little optimism regarding how Team USA will perform over this tournament, especially given that it is one of the host nations. You know, the men of Mauricio Pochettino, he's the former manager of Tottenham, Chelsea, PSG. And he was when he was hired back in 2024, he was one of the most prestigious hires, arguably the most prestigious hire for Team USA in the team's history. But the honeymoon period hasn't always been easy. The team has according to many has lacked identity or have trouble finding its identity. Has looked really uneven in some of the most recent friendlies. But some of the star players you know you've got Christian Pulisic Pulisic he's the star of the player the the player that even casual fans know he's had a great season AC Milan. If the team gets to go far then he will be how he will have to be one of the best players. You've also got Tyler Adams he's a captain the midfielder he's one of the team's emotional leaders. Chris Richards also one of the team's key defenders back four years ago he got injured and hamstring suffered a hamstring injury just two weeks before the roster was announced in the 2022 World Cup. He tore his ligaments two weeks again this year prior to roster being announced but he said this is not happening again. I will work hard he's been really working really hard to get back into shape. He is unlikely to be playing against Paraguay this Friday but if he does manage to get back in shape for the two other games in the group stage and that will certainly be a very key player in in the team. But yeah they do have some weaknesses lack of finish they often create chances but have a hard time really converting them. They do have some inconsistency problems as well they can be excellent one match and mediocre the next but as I mentioned some of the key players in that team already playing having had a great season in several top European clubs this this year. So tough to know how well they will do again not so much optimism but on paper they could do quite well and a lot of American fans remember the 2014 World Cup is their really last fond memory when they made it to the round of 16 only to fail to Belgium at that point in time. >> Indeed and that game then their first game coming up tomorrow. I need to ask you with the game coming up and there's a lot of talk on this side of the Atlantic you know about how in the United States football isn't so big and of course there are you know the the USA do have their own sports, huge leagues of their their own. But, I don't think that's fair. There are some, you know, die hard football fans as well out there. But, I wanted to ask you this because I was reading an interview of a French forwards French international Malo Gusto just this morning, who said that when he was in the United States, in New York more precisely in 2018, so two tournaments ago, he was trying to watch the final over there. And it took him until the second half until he could actually find a bar to watch the final. So, my question is, is there much feeling that there is, you know, over here you'll see talk you'll see cat you'll see bars you'll see cafes advertise the fact that they're, you know, come here watch the game all together. Do you see any of that? Do you see any, you know, much interest outside on the streets for the tournament over there? >> You know, that's such an interesting anecdote, especially if you compare it to the scene in New York last night with the unbelievable comeback, 29-point comeback by the New York Knicks. Obviously, a hometown team, but just that is what's been captivating Americans' attention here in sports. They are spoiled for choice when it comes to sports. You got get basketball, you got American football, hockey, baseball. So, it is obviously quite hard to pay attention to football or soccer as they call it here, especially when your national team doesn't typically do well. You know, when it when football does make headlines here, it's usually the women's national team. They have won four World Cups, five Olympic gold medals. So, that is really what takes the attention when it comes to football here in the United States. And, you know, even after 1994, which was supposed to be sort of a revolution in the world of American sports and bring football to the US for the first time, it's I think it would be argue it would be fair to say that the US is still not a nation of of sports. But, there's definitely been more awareness, especially as I mentioned since 2014 when they did do quite well in that competition back in in Brazil. And of course, you will have pockets of excitement depending on where you come from and what your Uh, ethnicity is. Obviously, here in Southern California, If you are Latino, then chances are you you will be much more interested in in football than than than than the average American. So, I just as I was driving here, you know, the SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles stadium behind me is located in a predominantly Latino neighborhood. I was seeing lots and lots and lots of Mexican flags ahead of today's game. So, just gives you an indication as to how much difference there is between, you know, one group or another. >> Really interesting to hear. Thank you, Wassim, for that understanding there from over there in Los Angeles. Interest Americans interest, there's a lot of American money in any case in in in European football. I've got investments in England and Wales. Snoop Dogg has even got a a stake in in in Swansea. Ruben, it's so there is something happening. I mean, we talked there about '94. And the women's football, of course, is is huge as well in in in in the US. >> Well, the investments in Europe are more because they see an opportunity. I think that's way more important. Yeah, it's more about money than about the football. >> Do they know much about what they're doing? >> Well, uh >> Depends. >> I'm going to stop saying anything there because there are Americans in charge of my club at the moment and I think I will go a bit off script. So, let's stick to Ruben on this one. But >> No, yeah, but no, I I think that they know and they they they they are clever. >> Because I'm saying that I'm saying that as a joke because there are criticisms that it is a purely financial kind of parachuting in there and just going in for the money for the business aspect of it. >> Yeah. And you can't ignore that side where it's not just >> of that at the moment, but it Is it just down to the Americans also FIFA as well? They kind of go hand in hand. We obviously see these hydration breaks coming in. And yes, okay, when it's very hot, they are obviously obligatory. They have to have to be there, but it was very very bizarre uh, seeing it uh, in the friendly France Ivory Coast in Nantes when it was about 15 degrees. Obviously, they're practicing having them because it's going to change the rhythm of the game because they are going to be there regardless of the temperatures. But it's it's bizarre seeing that happen when it was 15° and windy in Nance. And obviously the initial reaction of the civil advertisers to jump straight on that and ad breaks, and that's not just in America. We watched French games here. They obviously going straight to ad breaks uh during that. So, it's also an opportunity to make some more money. >> And nobody's going to say no to the money, especially the fans. I mean, everyone's when you have, you know, new investors coming in uh wherever they're from, whether it's from Saudi Arabia for Newcastle, whether it's from elsewhere in the Middle East, anywhere. >> but >> up. Sorry, but yeah, in Germany you still have the rules where you have the 51% rule and the where the where the the fans are still the owners. So, yeah, the problem is of course that these days in the in the UK they can't keep up without uh foreign investment. So, that's just what happened and it started with with Abramovich. And and it it just went more and more and more and more. And the Americans can also see that there is there is an interesting investment to make. But is there a proper investment? I mean, we can talk about the Glazers, we can talk about about Chelsea, we can talk about Liverpool. Yeah, for me those are not the best examples on how to to organize a club. And if you now look in the in in the Premier League, which clubs are well organized, these are the smaller ones where it's in general there's a there's a proper vision behind it, a Bournemouth or even a Sunderland right now. It's not that there's no money there, but yeah, compared to to the big guns. Just to compare '94 and and today, there is a difference of course in the US. I mean, '94 there was no no interest at all about the whole tournament. I saw a documentary this week about the Dutch team in '94. And if you see how that tournament was organized, literally everything was possible. There were journalists sitting behind the goal interviewing players during the match. Just to compare a bit where we come from and where we are right now. And uh the MLS has become a bigger has become a bigger league. There is a lot of uh there's a lot of foreign people in the US with a big interest. We Well, Mexican Well, we're talked about that. Lots of Latin Latin Americans, so >> And I think in terms of attendance, when you talk about the MLS, it's like the second most popular league in the 2024-2025 season, if you look at ticket sales. It was the second most popular league behind the Premier League. So, it's topping European And then you can say they have huge facilities, like these mega stadiums we're seeing here. >> Which we're going to see throughout the tournament. >> Which we're going to see, but it's still testament to to this interest. And it's also the third most popular sport when it comes to young people signing up and young people's interest. So, in the younger bracket, the younger generations, mostly in communities from Sout