The Exciting World of World Cup: Recap and the Latest Updates
With millions of football players competing every four years, the FIFA World Cup is the most spectacular sporting event on the planet. Hundreds of nations that are members of FIFA participate in the extensive preparations for the tournament, which takes place every four years.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was considered a landmark event due to the several firsts it featured. Join us on this page as we delve into the Qatar World Cup and everything that lies ahead of the most prestigious football event on the planet.
Betting on the World Cup
When only two teams remain in the running for the World Cup trophy, the best World Cup betting possibilities become available, and the final is the biggest game in sport. Bookmakers provide tempting World Cup bet promotions every four years to attract customers, and smart bettors make the most of these chances.
You can find all the top online bookies and their World Cup promos right here on TopBettingSite. Being one of the best sports betting sites, it has helped a lot of football betting fans by providing them with the best World Cup betting odds and even expert predictions.
To do this, TopBettingSite has researched and evaluated all online bookmakers according to a number of criteria in order to identify the best World Cup betting sites. Having said that, TopBettingSite is the best site for a number of reasons, including better odds, free bets, fast payments, and much more.
Thanks to the massive success of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, TopBettingSite welcomed millions of punters and football bettors during the finals. In the event that you share the enthusiasm of the many bettors for the next FIFA World Cup, we will gladly assist you in locating the ideal football betting site.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar Recap
After a nail-biting final at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalty kicks to claim the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Deemed by many World Cup betting fans as one of the best World Cup finals ever, with two goals from tournament MVP Lionel Messi and three from fellow superstar Kylian Mbappé, who took home the Golden Boot for most goals scored.
After their third World Cup victory (their first since 1986), Argentina is currently the fourth-most successful team in tournament history, behind only Brazil (5), Germany (4), and Italy (4).
2022 World Cup Team Highlights
Cristiano Ronaldo, a player for Manchester United, was sent home early from his last World Cup after Morocco beat Portugal. Richarlison de Andrade of Brazil scored a spectacular bicycle kick goal in a match against Serbia.
The audience was on the edge of their seats because of Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico and Robert Lewandowski of Poland, who both had penalties. Ochoa saved Mexico from losing. Not to mention the unforgettable setback that Argentina suffered in their first tournament match against Saudi Arabia. An amazing World Cup was crafted by many more of these moments.
Rising Stars of the 2022 World Cup
Many fans felt a sense of belonging at the 2022 FIFA World Cup while cheering for their favorite players, like Ronaldo, Messi, Suarez, Muller, Silva, and Di Maria. These football superstars have always dominated the leaderboards with their lucrative World Cup betting odds.
Seeing as this competition was their final. Fans might take heart from the tournament's debuts of promising young players like Pedri Gonzalez (20), Kylian Mbappe (24), Vinicius Jr. (22) of Brazil, Jude Bellingham (19) of England, and Pablo Gavi (18) of Spain.
Breaking Records
With an average of 15.4 million viewers (or 20 million when Telemundo is included) and a 27% increase over 2018, the semifinals on FOX were the most-watched men's soccer event in U.S. history, while the group play match between the United States and England was the most-watched overall.
So, the final tally will be revealed. With over 40 million viewers in the UK and France and 24,400 tweets per second on Twitter, it's safe to assume that the final match will likely break yet another record for US viewership.
Without a doubt, the World Cup in Qatar was a commercial triumph. Over $1 billion surpassing the preceding cycle (2018 Russia World Cup), FIFA reported $7.5 billion in profit for the 2022 World Cup cycle (2019–2022). You can only imagine the number of World Cup betting fans who placed their wagers to support their favorite team.
On a more serious note, Instagram just set a new "most-liked" record. With over 61 million likes, Lionel Messi's first Instagram post following his World Cup victory is now the most-liked picture in Instagram history.
Where It Falls Short
Even though the tournament's play was top-notch, fewer spectators than anticipated were able to witness it live. Take Qatar as an example; according to tourist reports, the country welcomed 765,000 people in the first two weeks of the World Cup.
In comparison to Russia's 3 million in 2018 and Brazil's 1.7 million in 2014, that's lower than their original prediction of 1.2 million tourists. Naturally, the comparison isn't completely fair because this study was made public about two weeks ago. Even so, it's a step in the right direction, as fewer spectators will be attending the championship games.
The Controversies
Many fans were surprised that a desert monarchy with a soccer team that had never made it to the World Cup had legitimately beaten out global sporting powerhouses that bid to host the 2022 tournament when FIFA surprised the world in December 2010 by awarding the tournament to Qatar.
No one was probably more hurt than Budweiser, the official World Cup beer, by the alcohol embargo that Qatar imposed two days prior to the first match.
Lastly, it is well-known that Qatar's migrant worker system is horrendous, and the hazardous conditions it creates are not exclusive to the World Cup preparations. More than 6,500 employees from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan have reportedly perished on the job in Qatar since 2010.
A Look at the 2026 World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has ended, and with that comes the anticipation of more World Cup betting opportunities in 2026. The United States of America, Canada, and Mexico will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making history as the first tournament to be staged on three separate continents.
After four years, the number of teams at the World Cup will increase from 32 to 48. Locations in the US, Canada, and Mexico have also been finalized for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Good luck to every country that is in the running.
Every nation's current stadium will be utilized for this event; no brand-new venues will be constructed. There will be a $5 billion economic impact from the 2026 World Cup, while FIFA will earn $11 billion from the event.
The 2026 World Cup Stadiums
You may already be aware that the 2026 World Cup will be the first to cross three time zones. This is due to the fact that all of the cup's venues were divided into three distinct regions:
West Region | Guadalajara | Los Angeles | San Francisco Bay Area |
Seattle | Vancouver | ||
Central Region | Atlanta | Dallas | Houston |
Kansas City | Mexico City | Monterrey | |
East Region | Boston | Miami | New York |
New Jersey | Philadelphia | Toronto | |
Among the venues chosen, only Mexico City's Estadio Azteca has ever played host to a men's World Cup match. Neither the 1970 nor the 1986 arenas, nor any of the ones utilized in 1994, will be utilized this time around. The schedule of games at each venue is still up in the air. These will be the ones put to use:
Stadium | State/City | Capacity |
Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City | 76,640 |
AT&T Stadium | Dallas | 92,967 |
BC Place | Vancouver | 54,500 |
BMO Field | Toronto | 45,736 |
Estadio Akron | Guadalajara | 48,071 |
Estadio Azteca | Mexico City | 87,523 |
Estadio BBVA | Monterrey | 53,460 |
Gillette Stadium | Boston | 70,000 |
Hard Rock Stadium | Miami | 67,518 |
Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area | 70,909 |
Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia | 69,328 |
Lumen Field | Seattle | 69,000 |
Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta | 75,000 |
MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey | 87,157 |
NRG Stadium | Houston | 72,220 |
SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles | 70,240 |
Frequently Asked Questions About the FIFA World Cup
When is the 2026 World Cup?
The only thing we know for sure at this point is that it will happen in June and July of 2026. So far, neither the dates nor the projected schedule for the 2026 World Cup have been announced. For more information, check out the official FIFA website or stay tuned to TopBettingSite once the schedule specifics are announced.
How many matches will we expect at the 2026 World Cup?
The United States will host 60 matches, with 20 of them being involving Mexico and Canada (though that pair will only compete in the group stage).
Is there a new format for the 2026 World Cup?
With the new system, 48 teams will be able to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, an increase of 16 from the previous model. The teams would then compete in three rounds of 16 teams each, culminating in a 32-team knockout phase.