Has the World Cup arrived yet? In the US, it depends on who you ask

Just days away from the opener, the tournament has yet to feel fully real for fans and even some players

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Organizationally speaking, the 2026 World Cup began on 13 June 2018, when then-Fifa general secretary Fatma Samoura sternly instructed the delegates to cast their vote in a cavernous conference hall in Moscow.

Yet mere days away from the tournament’s kickoff in Mexico City, it doesn’t really feel like the thing is here yet. At least, not in the US. And not in New York, the host city for the final.