What We’re Watching: World Cup

Story by:

• Laura Margoni - [email protected]

Topics covered:

• World Cup
• Sports

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The 2026 World Cup is here - the biggest global event in sports history kicks off today with 48 teams, 104 matches and 16 host cities spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada. For the next six weeks, soccer fans around the world will be watching, cheering and hoping their favorite team triumphs.

With California hosting 14 matches, we asked the campus community to share what they're looking forward to most, which games they're excited to see and more. Not surprisingly, we heard from a number of scholar-athletes who play for the UC San Diego men's and women's soccer teams. While the teams' seasons won't start until August - Aug. 12 is the women's home-opener against San Diego State and the men will open their season Aug. 20 with a home match against Navy - they, like a number of their fellow Tritons, are all-in on watching the World Cup. Whether it's alone on their living room couch, gathered together somewhere with friends (here's one watch party option!) or, for the lucky ones, in-person at one of the host stadiums.

Read on for their thoughts and predictions.

What are you most looking forward to?

"Traveling to Miami with my daughter and niece to watch my country of birth (Uruguay) compete."

"Seeing all the new young talent showcased on the biggest stage in the world."

"Youngster Lamine Yamal."

"Watching Spain play while I'm in Barcelona."

"Watching the games with other people and connecting with them. Also supporting my teams :)"

Which teams are you rooting for?

"France but I'm lowkey hoping S. Korea can just pull through the group fight."

"Canada or USA"

"Mexico, Argentina and Spain"

"Korea, U.S., Japan. After those, just rooting for good soccer."

"Germany and USA"

"Mexico, Brazil, France"

Which game(s) are you most excited to see?

"The opening game. The two teams that opened the 2010 World Cup are the same ones as these years."

"I'm most excited to see any game with France or Spain."

"USA vs Paraguay because it should be a win for us."

"Every England game and the ones I'm going to see."

"Korea vs. Mexico because I'll be in person for it and feel the energy and the culture! And of course all of the matches past group stage as they'll be the most competitive with the most on the line."

"Any Brazil game."

Who do you think will win the World Cup? Why?

"Spain. I think few teams have their depth of talent, discipline and organization."

"Brazil, they need to win."

"Germany. Gonna get it done!"

"Argentina, they have the Goat Messi."

"England because they have the most talented squad."

"Maybe France... they have the most insanely stacked roster this year. I'm cheering for the underdogs though!"

"France feels like the most dangerous, likely winning team heading into this 2026 World Cup cycle. Kylian Mbappé is still the centerpiece, and in 2025, I had an amazing opportunity to watch him play live for Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium which only reinforced how dominant he is on the field. But what makes this squad formidable is the newer talent around him, with Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise giving France arguably the most dangerous front line in international football.

The 2022 World Cup final against Argentina national football team was decided by the smallest margins, and France now looks more balanced despite being an offensive-heavy team. With elite talent, experience, and Mbappé still in his prime, France has every reason to be considered the World Cup favorite."