TKA students gear up for 2026 World Cup

photo by Isabel Goulart Junior Thomas Goulart and his family takes a picture with Rocco Rios Novo who plays for Inter Miami. The Goulart family attends soccer matches in Atlanta frequently and love every game.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being hosted by the United States for the second time since 1994. The USA is co-hosting over 70 soccer matches alongside Mexico and Canada next summer, which brings much excitement to soccer fans in North America. Excitement around The King’s Academy is growing as the big event approaches, and students will be involved with volunteer work to ensure their attendance at the matches in Atlanta. 

“I am very excited for the matches in Atlanta, but tickets can get very expensive, so I am going to do volunteer work in the stadium so I can watch the games for free,” junior Thomas Goulart said.

Goulart took advantage of the FIFA website to sign up for volunteer work at the games, but there are also opportunities for younger fans to get involved in watch parties and events in local communities. Places like Downtown Woodstock and The Mill at Etowah host watch parties for the matches each World Cup.  

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set to host eight matches throughout the tournament, including the Round of 16 and Semi-Final matchups. With a capacity of 75,000 fans, Atlanta has become a thrilling location to watch World Cup soccer matches. 

“Overall, this will be really good for the city, with good economic benefits and a spread of different cultures,” Goulart said. “A downside could be the city getting overrun with so many fans.” 

This is the first time in history that the tournament will be divided among three countries, with 16 total cities hosting matches. Both Canada and Mexico will host 13 games in their respective cities, but the United States will host the majority, with 78 games taking place across 11 cities. The defending FIFA champion, Argentina, seeks to become the third team ever to hoist the trophy back-to-back at World Cups. 

“I'm excited to see how USA hosts the games, but I am most excited to see my favorite team, Belgium and Kevin De Bruyne play,” sophomore Thomas Derrer said. “I have been a Kevin De Bruyne fan since I was six years old, and I’ve always rooted for his teams.”

Derrer also plans on attending the semi-final game at Mercedes-Benz, rooting for both the USA and Belgium to go far in the tournament. 

“Especially if the USA does well in the World Cup, soccer will gain so much popularity because everyone will see the fans and the hype around the sport,” Derrer said. “I think in the next couple of years, club soccer will get more hyped up and the MLS teams will get better.” 

Soccer’s popularity has skyrocketed since the 1994 World Cup, and soccer fans hope the same will happen after the 2026 tournament. According to FORSOCCER.com, in 30 years, the viewership and attendance of MLS games have nearly doubled. Next year will likely be the highest viewership of the World Cup by Americans in FIFA history, expanding our nation’s culture.