For the first time, the tournament will be held across three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico —
The Soccer World Cup, which has just kicked off, is destined to make history. For the first time, the tournament will be held across three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and will feature a record number of teams and fans. It is a World Cup of enormous proportions, with colossal infrastructure and gigantic metropolises, but also of great contradictions.
“Whoever doesn’t know how to pass the ball, even if talented, has not yet understood the game. And whoever doesn’t know how to live with others and for others has not yet understood life.” Using soccer as a metaphor for communal life, and recalling that personal fulfillment lies in relationships rather than self-sufficiency, Pope Leo XIV offered his greeting to the event that will capture global attention for more than a month. Because soccer, at its core, is community. A team sport that rewards talent and does not tolerate selfishness. A game where a person’s worth is not measured by what they achieve for themselves, but by what they share — with the team, for the team, toward the fans. And perhaps there is no better occasion than a World Cup to reflect on the meaning of the word “community” in an era so marked by fear.
A World Cup That Will Go Down in History
For the first time, the World Cup spans three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and involves a record number of teams and supporters. It is the World Cup of epic proportions, of colossal infrastructure and enormous cities. It is the tournament that FIFA envisions as the symbol of universal soccer. Yet, inevitably, it is also the tournament of great contradictions — contradictions that challenge us, as every major historical event does.
The Issue of Migration
Iranian athletes were only admitted into the United States after a heated debate and thanks to exemptions granted for major sporting events. The national team from Tehran had to relocate its training camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. It is no small thing that the world’s greatest soccer celebration is taking place while the immigration debate in the United States is one of the most heated in decades.
The case of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan caused particular outrage: he arrived in Miami on June 6, but U.S. authorities denied him entry despite his valid visa and FIFA credentials. The official reason was an unspecified “verification concern” — that is, issues that arose during security checks. Meanwhile, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the first Somali ever selected for a World Cup, has seen his dream cut short.
From Labor Struggles to Guadalajara
There is also the matter of labor. In Los Angeles, more than 2,000 workers at SoFi Stadium went on strike to demand better wages and protection against subcontracting. The conflict was resolved at the last moment. It is worth noting that SoFi Stadium is the most expensive sports facility in the world. The role of the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) union will be crucial, as it launched initial stadium inspections to investigate working conditions at various construction sites, in the wake of events surrounding the Qatar World Cup.
All eyes are also on Guadalajara. It is undoubtedly a modern, dynamic city, a symbol of a new Mexico that is growing and attracting investment. But it is also — and above all — one of the capitals of the tragedy of the disappeared. Just a few kilometers from the Akron Stadium, where four 2026 World Cup matches will be played, dozens of clandestine graves have been discovered in recent years and hundreds of human remains have been recovered. This is a fact that cannot be ignored.
Seeking the Good of Others
Yes, the Soccer World Cup that begins today will undoubtedly be extraordinary — in its scale, its audience, and its ambitions. And its legacy will depend on the goals scored and on the team that lifts the Cup. But it will also depend on the capacity to remember those who were left outside the field, on the bench, and even in the stands. In short, it will depend on the ability to look toward those forgotten by all. The words of Pope Prévost — his invitation to Christians as “compassionate beings” who love selflessly and seek the good of others — remind us of exactly that.
Source: Vaticannews.va / Guglielmo Gallone — Vatican City
