+ Controversy already in the first week - the referee was not allowed in
The World Cup had barely begun before the first controversial incident took place. Somali referee Omar Artan, also Africa's best, was not allowed into Miami due to visa problems. FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the whole thing "unfortunate" and asked people to "chill out."
Artan's refusal of entry made headlines. The Swedish Football Association stressed that everyone must be treated equally, and Norway's national team captain Ståle Solbakken said that "we are all hypocrites."
+ The treatment of Iran
US President Donald Trump received FIFA's newly established peace prize in December 2025. Two months later, Trump made the decision to start a war against Iran - a nation that was to participate in the World Cup.
The situation escalated when the championship got underway and Iran was forced to move its base from the United States to Mexico - despite all of Iran's group-stage matches being played in the United States. Iran also had strict travel restrictions and had to leave the country immediately after the matches.
+ Vozinha's charm offensive
It is common for every championship to offer an unexpected hero - a profile. This year it was Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha who nailed it again against Spain (0-0). Perhaps it is also a sign of our times that after the goalless match Vozinha went from 50,000 followers on Instagram to three million. Today he has almost 30 million.
+ The championship of Norway and Erling Haaland
There's no denying that the 2026 World Cup belonged to Norway and star striker Erling Haaland. They cruised all the way to the quarter-finals and Haaland, who played in his first championship, scored seven goals. Haaland also introduced himself to those who don't follow top European football, and so-called memes (also known as viral images) about the Norwegian flooded various social media channels.
+ The dominance of the stars - Mbappé historic
Championships often tend to be slow starts for many stars, but not the 2026 World Cup. After the first group stage, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane had already introduced themselves. In the end, it was the 27-year-old Frenchman Mbappé who scored the most goals, ten. The goal tally also took him past Lionel Messi as the top scorer in World Cup history with 22 in total. Messi has scored 21.
+ When Donald Trump took over FIFA
The biggest talking point of the World Cup came in the United States' round-of-16 match against Belgium. American striker Folarin Balogun was shown a red card in the round of 16 and should have been suspended. But Donald Trump, who did not understand what a red card meant, picked up the phone and called Gianni Infantino and asked for a review because he considered it a violation of the rules. Balogun was then allowed to start against Belgium.
+ Sweden broke up during the night matches
Late kick-off times? Work the next day? It didn't matter. The Swedish people came together when Sweden played in the World Cup and there were public celebrations in front of big screens in many cities. It all culminated when Anthony Elanga scored the incredibly important 1-1 goal against Japan in the final group match, which meant advancement.
+ World Championship in Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracy theories have been abounding in recent weeks. On social media, a lot has been spread about how Fifa wants Argentina and Messi to win a second straight gold medal, how "VARArgentina" has been working to make the road to it easier. Among other things, through "easier" opposition in the form of Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland.
+ Extended halftime show
There was long speculation about the half-time show, but when the star-studded parade with Madonna, Justin Bieber and Shakira was finally over, the break in the World Cup final had stretched to just over 27 minutes. In doing so, Fifa broke its own rules, where the maximum limit for a half-time break is set at 15 minutes.
+ Trump and Infantino booed
Usually, only one representative from FIFA presents the World Cup trophy, but in New Jersey, Donald Trump was also honored to be there. To the sound of cheers from the spectators, Trump, along with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, walked onto the field and handed over the gold trophy to Spain.
