World Cup Kicks Off: We Want to Hear From Host Cities
Quick Look
- The 2026 World Cup, the largest in history with 48 teams and 104 matches, has begun.
- The BBC is seeking reports from residents of the 16 host cities across Mexico, Canada, and the US about the local atmosphere, business impact, and fan mood.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The 2026 World Cup is the largest in history, featuring 48 teams playing 104 matches over 39 days in 16 host cities across North America.
The game between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday kicked off the biggest World Cup in history: 48 teams playing 104 matches over 39 days in 16 host cities. If you live in one of those cities, we want to hear from you. How’s it going so far?
This is a diverse tournament, with a different feel and vibe across the various countries and venues. With that in mind, we want to know what the mood is like in your home city during the tournament, as part of our My World Cup series.
Is there a buzz? How are businesses faring with an influx of fans from around the world? Is the mood one of excitement, exhaustion, apathy or anxiety that the sporting action will be overshadowed by geopolitics? Whether you are a diehard fan, a casual observer, a business owner or someone who wants to avoid the whole thing, let us know what the atmosphere is like in your city as the matches begin.
We’d really appreciate your submissions and it would be helpful to know whether you would feel comfortable sending us short videos during the World Cup too.
The full list of host cities is: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey; Toronto and Vancouver; and Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and New York/New Jersey.
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Open Questions
- What is the mood in each host city?
- How are businesses affected by fan influx?
- Will geopolitics overshadow the sporting event?
