The World Cup kicks off in Mexico on June 11.
With just one month to go until the tournament, after being awarded to the United States, Canada, and Mexico eight years ago, excitement is building at The Athletic. Our team of reporters is preparing to fan out across the three host nations to cover every angle of the event.
We asked several of our writers—Lukas Weese, Asli Pelit, Matt Slater, Melanie Anzidei, Max Mathews, USMNT reporter Paul Tenorio, England reporter Jack Pitt-Brooke, and Canada reporter Joshua Kloke—to share their feelings as the countdown to the opening match on June 11 continues.
**With one month to go, here’s how they feel:**
**Weese:** A huge sense of curiosity. What will it actually look like? How will it affect the host cities and countries? This is the first men’s World Cup in North America in my lifetime. There’s a lot of uncertainty, but once the games start, the soccer (hopefully) will take center stage, much like the Olympics.
**Pelit:** Is it really happening? If I weren’t in the industry, I’d have no clue the U.S. is hosting the biggest sporting event ever. This is my third World Cup and second time living in a host country during the buildup. I remember Brazil in 2014: beaches, plazas, and streets in Rio were covered in World Cup colors. The energy was everywhere. Every conversation included talk of the Copa do Mundo. The tournament felt alive well before the first match.
But here in New York City, there’s barely a buzz. Aside from a countdown clock in The Shops at Columbus Circle (which feels random!), I’ve seen few signs that the World Cup is a month away. No city takeover. No real atmosphere. For a city hosting the final, it’s oddly quiet.
**Slater:** Europoor. If I weren’t already aware that America’s tech bros, massive national debt, and tolerance for poor public services gave it a big lead in GDP per capita, the World Cup’s ticket prices have driven that home. We in the Old World are paupers. As global citizen Gianni Infantino noted, Americans are so rich they’ll pay $300 to watch students in crash helmets play a version of rugby. We’ve been left behind, probably on holiday.
**Mathews:** Today I feel worried, excited, trepidatious, joyful, engaged—so overall, mixed. I nostalgically remember historic World Cups as bringing the world together. For many reasons—visas, politics, ticket and transport pricing—this one might not. But it’s still a World Cup, and it’s about the players and managers who will light up the global stage. Once it gets going, hopefully the football will captivate everyone.
**Anzidei:** Like it’s finally here. I’m based in East Rutherford, so I’m up close to the preparations around MetLife Stadium. I’ve described it to friends as my neighborhood getting ready to host a huge party, and we’re at the stage of making sure our home is perfect for guests. I recently visited the stadium for the grass installation. Bars near me hint at a summer of soccer. It’s the default conversation with strangers. I say finally because we’ve been waiting nearly a decade for this moment.
MetLife Stadium will host the World Cup final.