Vikings, Shakira and Channing Tatum in a ponytail: The World Cup memes, ads and moments making us suddenly care about soccer

With the 2026 World Cup looming, the pre-tournament buzz centers on three host nations—U.S., Canada and Mexico—and a global wave of memes, ads and hype. The tournament runs June 11 to July 19 across 16 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Kansas City, featuring 48 teams and a winner’s prize of $50 million. Star power runs through the chatter, from Erling Haaland’s high-profile presence to a Nike ad with Channing Tatum, while underdog stories proliferate online, such as Curaçao drawing attention as a Dutch Caribbean team and Tim Payne’s sudden follower surge after an Argentine influencer labeled him a tournament standout.