World Cup 2026: What Happened?

Between June 11 and July 19, 2026 a significant global portion of TV and phone screens shared space with twelve cities across north America, beaming images of men at play. This was the World Cup.

Billed as the largest sports event to date, the men’s world cup took up cultural, political, urban, screen and social space. For more than a month, it became an event and a key process through which people understood their relationship to play and power, commodities and cultures.  Every two years, “who owns football” becomes a leading question, this time sharpened by a proposal by an incredibly profitable non-profit regulatory body to sell off parts of the world cup to the highest bidder. 
This evening dialogue with football beat reporter Juan Diego Garcia and humanities faculty is an opportunity to use the liberal arts to understand the rewards, costs, consequences and opportunities that happen when three countries invite the world’s soccer fans to attend or watch 109 different sporting events over the course of a month.  

Hopefully, we will ruin and then recover the joys of watching people work at playing together for ‘the flag’.

Sponsors: Department of Philosophy, Department of History, Center for the Study of the Southwest, College of Liberal Arts

Juan Diego Garcia is a producer at KUT. He joined KUT in 2021 as an evening and weekend host. He has a bachelor’s degree in electronic media and mass communication from Texas State University, where he worked as news director and station manager at KTSW 89.9 in San Marcos. 

Juan Diego Garcia and Jimmy Maas are co-hosts and producers of ¡Vamos Verde! The project focuses on Austin FC and the community that has grown up around the team. From player interviews to looks behind the curtain at what makes the team and the community thrive – it’s a soccer podcast for everyone. Hosted by Jimmy Maas and Juan Garcia and produced by KUT & KUTX Studios in collaboration with Austin FC.