We are officially less than 100 days away from the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Under normal circumstances, this is the exact moment the football fever starts to truly kick in. You start mapping out the match schedule, negotiating with your boss for tactical "work-from-home" days, and dusting off the national team jersey. It’s supposed to be something to look forward to.
But let’s be brutally honest: this time, the vibe is just... off.
Instead of a celebration of the beautiful game, it feels like we are gearing up for a heavily sponsored, geopolitical minefield wrapped in a corporate bow. Let’s break down exactly why the magic seems to have faded before the ball has even been kicked.
💰 The Organization: Too Big, Too Greasy
Remember the good old days when one country could just host a football tournament? Apparently, that’s no longer economically viable for the suits in Zurich. Now, we need an entire continent to host the World Cup. The carbon footprint of flying from a group stage game in Toronto to a knockout match in Mexico City is going to be larger than Jupiter.
And then there’s the absolute drama surrounding the ticket prices. The World Cup used to be a festival for the fans, the ultimate gathering for the average working guy. Today? If you want to take your kid to a quarter-final, you better be prepared to sell a kidney on the dark web or take out a second mortgage.
Combine these astronomical prices with the ridiculous expansion to 48 teams, and the mask completely slips. We are going to be subjected to utterly pointless group-stage matches just to squeeze a few more broadcasting millions out of the sponsors. The sporting value has been shoved so far into the background it’s basically sitting in the cheap seats. This tournament is organized purely for the cash.
🥩 Players as Disposable Products
Let’s talk about the guys actually putting on the show. The football season for top-tier players is already absurdly long. They are pushed to their absolute physical limits across domestic leagues, expanded European competitions, and domestic cups. And now, for the absolute elite, FIFA has decided to knit an extra week onto the end of the season.
Why not, right? To the executives sipping champagne in the VIP lounges, players aren't human beings with breaking points; they are just disposable, highly-paid meat suits. Run them until their hamstrings snap like cheap guitar strings, replace them with the next one, and keep the cameras rolling.
🪖 Geopolitics and "Comical Gianni"
Then we have the absolute elephant in the room: the escalating war between the US and Iran. It is virtually guaranteed that Iran will be excluded from the tournament—or that they will simply withdraw themselves—and their spot will likely be handed to Iraq or the UAE.
Historically, if a war breaks out during or right before a major tournament, the aggressor is usually shown the door. But here’s the awkward part: the aggressor in this scenario is one of the host nations. What makes this even more hilariously dystopian is that Gianni Infantino recently handed Donald Trump the "FIFA World Peace Prize." And Trump’s official, diplomatic response to the whole Iran tournament drama? He casually stated he simply "doesn't care" if they show up or not. You literally cannot write better satire than reality right now.
Now, I’m not here to play geopolitical expert on whether this specific conflict is justified. As ordinary people, we simply don’t have access to the real, unfiltered information required to make that call. But the hypocrisy of the governing bodies is blinding.
Meanwhile, just south of the border, Mexico is dealing with drug cartel violence so severe that local football leagues have been entirely shut down. Yet, there is Gianni Infantino, standing at a podium, swearing up and down that everything is perfectly safe and there is absolutely nothing to worry about. It instantly brings to mind the infamous Iraqi Information Minister from 2003 who confidently declared on live television that there were no American tanks in Baghdad, while one literally rolled past the window behind him.
Honestly, looking at the three host nations, Canada is the only place where nothing insane is happening. They are just sitting up there, sipping maple syrup, apologizing to the local moose population, and waiting politely for the games to begin. (Apologies to any Canadians reading this for the heavy reliance on stereotypes, but frankly, your country is the only wholesome thing about this entire event).
🏥 The Red Devils' Infirmary
Finally, let’s look at our beloved Belgian Red Devils. If we are completely honest, our medical staff is going to see more action than our starting eleven. We are limping toward this tournament, and the squad depth in crucial areas is terrifying.
While our flanks, fullbacks, and attacking wingers give us a decent amount of options, central defense and our pure striker position are an absolute ghost town if injuries hit. And unfortunately, injuries are the theme of our season:
Kevin De Bruyne: Time is officially becoming an issue. Yes, he will probably play, but will he have any match rhythm? Will he be top fit? If he had been able to start group training a month ago, it would have been ideal. He could have entered the World Cup fully rested and primed. Instead, it's a race against the clock.
Romelu Lukaku: Big Rom just scored his first goal of the entire season, finally returning from a massive injury layoff. We are all lighting candles hoping he doesn't suffer a relapse, because as mentioned, we have virtually zero extra options for that deep striker role.
The Knee Ward (De Ketelaere & Theate): The chances of Charles De Ketelaere and Arthur Theate boarding that plane are looking okay but the questin is in what shape! Both went under the knife for knee surgeries just three weeks ago. Sure, they weren't the heaviest procedures, but a six-to-eight-week recovery time right before a World Cup is brutal.
Youri Tielemans: Let's not forget he has been battling that nagging ankle injury. Exactly what you need before a grueling summer tournament.
Roméo Lavia: And then there is the eternal saga of Roméo Lavia. In theory, he is the absolute perfect player to grow into our undisputed number 6. But that requires him to actually stay out of the medical room. Since turning pro, he has spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch. It begs a serious question: can you really justify taking a player made of glass to a World Cup?
🎮 The Silver Lining: The Sportsblock World Cup Game
Before you completely despair and cancel your internet subscription to avoid the tournament entirely, there is actually one genuinely good reason to look forward to this summer.
The team over at Sportsblock is officially launching a World Cup game right here on the platform! Now, full disclosure: I am not officially part of the Sportsblock team myself. However, I am a massive supporter of what they do, and I actually sent them the format for this WC fantasy league. So you know it's going to be good! And more then likely I will be the proud sponsor of the lucky number 25 prize!!
Think of it as a fantasy league style of game, but without the headache of needing a Ph.D. in tactical analysis to compete. It is designed to be highly accessible with a low barrier to entry, heavily focused on just having a ton of fun, and structured in a way that ensures it stays interesting for the long haul—even after your favorite team has inevitably been knocked out.
So, keep a close eye on their upcoming posts. We might not be able to fix FIFA, but we can definitely make watching their circus a whole lot more entertaining!
Less than 100 days to go, folks. Buckle up.