World Cup 2026 - Revisited

My father infected me with watching the FIFA World Cup matches when I was a teenager. It was the year 1982 and his excitement in front of the TV screen was contagious. I joined his company and while he was explaining the rules to me, words such as “corner”, “fault”, “out”, and “goal” were among the first to enter my English language vocabulary.

It was the year when even if Argentina didn’t become a champion, the star of Diego Maradona (October 30, 1960 – November 25, 2020) came to shine.

Fast forward to 1994 when even if Bulgaria didn’t become a champion (but made it to the semi-finals!), the star of Hristo Stoichkov (February 8, 1966 -) came to shine on the USA stadiums. Final exams were in full swing and our heads were buried in textbooks and notes, but for the games we would gather in a room with a TV screen (we knew the dorm rooms that had a TV!) for yet another exhilarating experience. New friendships were built and Bulgarian city streets turned into party scenes during that memorable summer when collective joy reached its highest.

Recent articles on both Diego Maradona and Christo Stoichkov can be found in our Biography Reference Source database, and our physical collection carries materials on Diego Maradona and other soccer stars that can be checked out, such as:

ESPN Films 30 for 30. Maradona '86: Soccer Stories

Jamás Me Voy a Olvidar: México 86, la Historia de Mi Mayor Victoria  

When the United States became a co-host of World Cup 2026 (June 11 – July 19) together with Canada and Mexico, I couldn’t resist attending a match and experience the excitement live.  Luckily, some of the games were taking place close enough to us so that my husband and I could treat ourselves with tickets for the Croatia vs. Ghana game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. 

I didn’t obsessively root for either team, and I didn’t wear another nation’s jersey, but I let my T-shirt speak of my heritage.   

If you don’t know what ajvar is, check our “A to Z World Food” database for a variety of recipes using this delicious Balkan spread. 

The championship was still in its initial stage and even though Croatia won against Ghana with 2:1, I liked it that both teams moved on to the next round. Croatia was a part of my Balkan heritage, but Ghana fans enchanted me with their music, drumming and dance that started before the game and accompanied us on the way to the stadium and during the game. If you are curious, check out the article about the music and drumming of Ghana in our “A to Z World Culture” database.

We didn’t go to any additional matches, but we kept up the spirit by attending local watch parties.

• At Princeton Shopping Center, hosted by Experience Princeton 
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• In Mercer County Community Park, hosted by Mercer County 
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• In Central Park, New York, in a free-ticketed, lottery only “sold out” event hosted by Global Citizen – a non-profit organization dedicated to free the world from extreme poverty. We were lucky to be in the cheerful company of 50,000 people from the United States and all over the world for the final game!

It was heartwarming to see my father’s face light up on the videochat screen when I was telling him about all these experiences, and he would respond with his insightful comments about the games. 

Was attending the World Cup live on my bucket list? – Maybe.

But it also enriched the connection with my father in a cherished way that I’m thankful for.

The Mercer County Library System carries a good selection on soccer and the World Cup under the 796.334 Dewey number.  Ask your reference librarian if you need help locating them on the shelf. 

- Albena, Lawrence Reference