Before the final: Saluting the 2026 World Cup’s best stories
Rafaela Prifti
Before the kickoff of the 2026 final at MetLife Stadium, here is a special salute to the breakout teams that captured our hearts with their “we belong here” performances: Kosova, Scotland, DR Congo, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Norway (in quarter-finals) and others. A standout among them is Cabo Verde. In their first-ever World Cup, they played both finalists, Spain and Argentina without losing a single game in regular time.
Representing an island nation of around 530,000 people in their historic international soccer debut, the Blue Sharks took defending champion Argentina to their limit. Not only did Cape Verde come incredibly close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history, but they proved to the world that they belong on the biggest stage of the sport, finishing their historic run with no regulation losses (including a 0-0 draw with Spain) and earning the respect of fans worldwide.
Beyond the championship’s crowning fairy tale of the Atlantic islands, the 2026 expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, instead of the old 32 format, provided a platform for nations that have historically been sidelined to etch their names into football history.
Kosova in the playoffs of FIFA 2026 – A non-UN member state raised its flag, igniting hopes of fans and nations around the world! Their presence in the later stages symbolized a shifting dynamic in global football, proving that geopolitical size and traditional footballing pedigree are no longer the sole prerequisites for international success.
Scotland Forever – Around 50,000 Scotland fans packed Boston for two group stage matches and forged lasting bonds with America’s cradle of liberty. In just over a week, the Tartan Army drank the bars dry and won Boston’s heart in the process.
Conversely, the 2026 FIFA World Cup redefined the boundaries of international football, most notably through changes in ticket pricing and blatant commercialization. Perhaps the defining narrative of the 2026 World Cup will be the overturning of the red-card decision for the US team, an outcome viewed as a sign of corruption at the intersection of politics and sport.
Some of the most prominent “losers” of 2026 were the established powerhouses, Brazil, Germany, etc. Teams that boasted massive budgets, star-studded lineups, and generations of World Cup pedigree completely unraveled, leaving their fanbases in shock. While these heavyweights may view their early exits as a total failure, the true losers are those who fail to respect the changing landscape of the sport.
