Amna Nawaz
@PBSNewsHour·5.3M subscribers·62.2K videos
3 ways World Cup play is different right now
Posted
June 19, 2026
Views
4,690
Likes
92
Engagement
1.96%
June 19, 2026
4,690
92
1.96%
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8:13
4:15Now PlayingThe men’s World Cup may come around every four years, but this one isn’t quite like the others.
The FIFA World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by the Canada, Mexico and the United States, is the largest ever.
This World Cup features 48 teams, up from 32. And each game, regardless of outside temperature, or whether the game is played inside in a climate controlled stadium, features two hydration breaks.
That's affected the play we've seen on the field and the strategies teams are employing, said Leander Schaerlaeckens, senior professional lecturer in sports communication at Marist University, columnist for The Guardian and author of “The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts."
PBS News’ Tim McPhillips spoke with Schaerlaeckens about how World Cup play is different this time around — and how the tournament hasn't changed at all.
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