Author Simon Kuper explores nine-tournament soccer journey in “World Cup Fever”

He touches on watching matches from half-empty stands in Italy in 1990 to what he felt was the troubling legacy of Qatar in 2022. Kuper also presents the human side of the tournament from inside stadiums to local communities, bars, restaurants, and the streets.

The off-field lead-up for this year’s event was particularly unusual in the United States. Fans were concerned about immigration and customs enforcement, and travel restrictions were levied on the Iranian team, which moved its training camp from Tucson, Ariz., to Tijuana, Mexico.

Kuper, who attended matches in the U.S. northeast and spent time in the fan festival areas there, described it as a “fantastic atmosphere.”

“It’s kind of the face of the U.S. that we all love as opposed to the face of the U.S. that we’ve been seeing these last 10 years,” he said from Philadelphia. “So it’s just lovely to see that the America we knew still exists, that it is still there.”

Toronto and Vancouver hosted the 13 matches that were played in Canada. Kuper didn’t make it north of the border, but was impressed by the spirit he saw on display from fans across the world.

“It’s a vision of an alternative U.S. that was much needed,” he said in a recent interview. “So I think that’s going to be an absolutely central legacy.

“And then another legacy for better or for worse is the expansion to 48 teams, which I think we’re not going to go back from.”

Canada certainly benefited from the addition of 16 additional sides. The co-host landed in a weak pool that included just one top-20 team.

The 30th-ranked national side finished second behind No. 19 Switzerland in a four-team group with No. 56 Qatar and No. 64 Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Canada caught another break by securing a round-of-32 matchup against No. 60 South Africa. Canada won 1-0 before dropping a 3-0 decision to seventh-ranked Morocco in the round of 16 last weekend.

“The quality has declined, but World Cups have never really been about quality – or not for many decades – anyway,” Kuper said. “So it’s long been true, probably for about 25 years, that the best soccer is club soccer. The best club soccer is the best soccer. And this World Cup is below (that).”

“World Cups are about drama, not quality,” he added. “So with 48 teams, there’s more of these Cinderellas, more potential for a story like Cape Verde’s. And given that we’re not here for the quality, I think it enhances the World Cup.”

The tournament continues through the July 19 final at New York/New Jersey Stadium. The 2030 event will be another three-country effort with Morocco, Spain and Portugal sharing hosting duties.

As for the potential of Canada hosting World Cup games again in the future, Kuper said the “rhythms are very slow.”

“If it’s in 30 years, that would make sense because even when Japan bid for (the) 2022 (tournament), people said, ‘Oh, you know, it’s only been 20 years since there was a World Cup in Japan,’ he said. “So in a sense people have a long memory.”

“Perhaps not in many Canadians’ lifetimes, but yes it will come back,” he added. “And of course Canada is a great country to host the World Cup.”

“World Cup Fever: A Soccer Journey in Nine Tournaments” is published by Pegasus Books and distributed by Simon & Schuster. It has a retail price of $39.95 in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2026.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Author Simon Kuper explores nine-tournament soccer journey in “World Cup Fever”

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