By Kunle Solaja, JFK, New York

When the final whistle eventually sounded on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the curtain fell on another remarkable chapter in football history, my personal reflections will extend far beyond the goals, the drama and the unforgettable moments witnessed across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

For me, this World Cup represents something deeply personal; a milestone that once seemed distant but has now become reality.

Like the celebrated “La Décima” that Real Madrid proudly pursued and achieved in European football, the 2026 FIFA World Cup marks my own “La Décima”, similar to the Mission X of the magnificent Nigeria’s Super Falcons; attendance at a tenth consecutive FIFA World Cup finals as a journalist.

From Italia ’90 through USA ’94, France ’98, Korea/Japan 2002, Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and now the 2026 tournament in North America, the journey has spanned 36 years of reporting, travelling, learning and documenting football history as it unfolded before my eyes.

Such a milestone is never achieved alone.

It is therefore fitting that I pause amid the excitement of the World Cup to express profound appreciation to one individual whose support made this latest journey possible — Hon. Adekunle Soname, Chairman of Bet9ja and, easily, Nigeria’s most influential yet understated sports visionary.

At a time when independent journalism faces increasing financial pressures and international coverage has become more expensive than ever, Bet9ja’s decision to support my World Cup project was not merely a sponsorship arrangement. It was an investment in sports journalism, historical documentation and the preservation of a tradition that has lasted for nearly four decades.

Hon. Soname’s contribution ensured that Sports Village Square could maintain its presence at the world’s biggest sporting event and continue delivering firsthand reports, features, interviews and analyses directly from the tournament venues.

Those who know Hon. Soname understand that his commitment to football extends far beyond business. Over the years, he has consistently demonstrated a passion for the growth of the game in Nigeria and Africa, supporting initiatives that contribute to football development both on and off the field.

His support for this World Cup coverage is another reflection of that enduring commitment.

I also owe a debt of gratitude to the dedicated members of the Bet9ja marketing team whose professionalism, cooperation and confidence in the project helped transform an idea into reality. Their belief in the value of quality sports journalism and credible tournament coverage played an important role in ensuring the success of this venture.

Behind every sponsorship agreement are individuals who work quietly but diligently to make things happen. They deserve recognition for their efficiency, encouragement and unwavering support throughout the process.

My appreciation also goes to a long-standing friend of sports journalism and one of Nigeria’s most respected media professionals, Femi Adesina.

Long before this World Cup journey reached its tenth chapter, Femi Adesina had become one of its steadfast supporters. Since the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, he has consistently offered encouragement, support and goodwill towards my international coverage efforts.

Femi Adesina, a passionate sports enthusiast and former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of Nigeria, has been a steadfast pillar of support for my FIFA World Cup coverage since Brazil 2014. His unwavering encouragement has helped make successive World Cup reporting missions possible.

Whether as a colleague in journalism or later as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former President Muhammadu Buhari, he never lost his appreciation for the value of professional sports reporting and the role it plays in projecting Nigeria to the world.

His support over the years has been a source of motivation, particularly during moments when the challenges of international coverage appeared overwhelming.

As I look back on ten consecutive World Cups, I am reminded that journalism, despite often appearing to be an individual pursuit, is in reality a collective endeavour. Every byline carries the fingerprints of numerous supporters, friends, family members, colleagues and institutions whose contributions make the work possible.

This tenth World Cup attendance therefore belongs not only to me but also to everyone who has supported the journey from its humble beginnings in Italy in 1990 to this historic milestone in North America in 2026.

For Hon. Kunle Soname and Bet9ja, for the dedicated members of the company’s marketing team, and for Femi Adesina, I offer my heartfelt gratitude.

Their support has helped make possible a dream that began more than three decades ago and has now culminated in a personal “La Décima” — ten consecutive FIFA World Cups.

For that, I remain profoundly thankful.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, BROOKLYN.

How does one say goodbye to a family that opened not just the doors of their home, but also their hearts during an unforgettable World Cup journey? After weeks of enjoying their extraordinary hospitality, leaving feels far more difficult than I had imagined. It is almost as though I should stay a little longer.

As I pen these few words, it is the birthday of one of them—Daniel Ogunleye, easily my closest companion in this wonderful family of four. It is fitting that I pay this tribute today.

Daniel Ogunleye beams with pride as he poses with an impressive collection of academic, basketball and sporting trophies at his family home in New York. A gifted student-athlete and entrepreneur, Daniel has excelled both on the court and in the classroom, embodying discipline, determination and excellence.  Happy Birthday to a remarkable young man whose achievements continue to inspire.

Daniel and I spent countless hours sharing jokes, exchanging ideas and discussing sports. A first-year Criminology student at Fisher College, he is every good quality rolled into one.

Though he began as a football player, he later switched to America’s favourite sport—basketball—where he has earned considerable honours. He has successfully combined academic excellence, sporting achievement and an impressive entrepreneurial spirit, making him a young man with a very bright future.

My friendship with his father, Olukayode Ogunleye, goes back more than five decades. We grew up together in Ibadan and later worked as sports journalists at the then Concord Press of Nigeria before life took him to the United States.

When I arrived in New York to cover the FIFA World Cup, Olukayode did far more than provide accommodation. He transformed his family home into my own Nigerian sanctuary. Throughout my stay, I never felt I had left home. Every familiar comfort was there, especially the food.

From eba to amala, pounded yam and other cherished Nigerian delicacies, every meal reminded me of home. For that unforgettable culinary experience, special appreciation goes to his lovely wife, Launette.

Although African-American by birth, Launette cooks Nigerian cuisine with such authenticity that one would easily believe she spent her formative years in Lagos or Ibadan. Yet, remarkably, she has never even crossed the Atlantic to visit Africa.

If she were to compete with some of Nigeria’s finest cooks, I have little doubt she would give them a serious contest. Her nickname may be “China,” but after my experience, “Naija” would be a far more fitting name. Her warmth, humility, kindness and generous spirit embody the very best of Nigerian hospitality.

Indeed, food was never in short supply. In fact, I was so well fed that I eventually had to plead with her to slow down. I joked that I had gained so much weight my own family might struggle to recognise me when I returned home.

As though determined to make the weight gain permanent, she often insisted on driving me to the train station, denying me the opportunity to walk off a few calories. It became a running joke between us.

Kayode often speaks proudly of his wife, noting how effortlessly she blends into Nigerian gatherings. At every “Naija party,” she dresses the part, mingles naturally and embraces the culture with remarkable ease. Watching her interact, one would hardly believe she did not grow up in Nigeria.

Their daughter, Yuhniece, reflects the same admirable values of industry, courtesy and ambition. Armed with an Associate Degree in Business Administration and Accounting, she has successfully translated her education into enterprise, building ventures in both real estate and the automobile business. She carries herself with maturity, confidence and the strong work ethic that clearly runs through the family.

As my World Cup assignment comes to an end, saying goodbye has become one of the most difficult parts of the journey. Families like the Ogunleyes remind one that true hospitality goes beyond providing a place to sleep. It is about making a guest feel loved, valued and completely at home. They did exactly that for me.

For every delicious meal, every ride to the station, every conversation, every laugh and every act of kindness, I owe the entire Ogunleye family a debt of gratitude that words can scarcely express.

Yet, every journey must eventually come to an end.

The consolation is that I now look forward to reuniting with my own family, who have always borne the sacrifices that come with my profession. Every World Cup has meant weeks away from home, missed family moments and long periods of absence.

My wife, Oby, our children and our grandchildren have, through the years, shown unwavering love, patience and understanding. They have accepted the demands of sports journalism with remarkable grace, even when it meant celebrating important family occasions without me. They have remained my greatest source of encouragement, reminding me that every sacrifice made in pursuit of excellence has meaning.

As I board my flight home, my heart is filled with gratitude—gratitude to the Ogunleyes for making New York feel like home, and gratitude to my own family for always making home worth returning to.

Some goodbyes are difficult because they remind us of the goodness of people. This is certainly one of them.

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• Summary
• A 64-team format would comprise 128 matches if FIFA kept the 2026 structure
• That format could add roughly another week to a tournament already lasting more than five weeks
• Saudi Arabia’s 2034 hosting faces Ramadan timing complications and heavy infrastructure demands
• Player welfare, competitive balance and World Cup exclusivity would face renewed scrutiny

 

The first 48-team World Cup has barely finished, but Gianni Infantino has already acknowledged the ​possibility that soccer’s biggest tournament could one day grow larger still, a move that could fundamentally alter the economics of the sport.

Speaking to Swiss television during the tournament, the FIFA ‌president said a 64-team World Cup was among the ideas that could be examined once the finals were over, reopening debate over how large the game’s showpiece event can realistically become.

The logistical implications of another expansion are obvious. A bigger tournament would require more stadiums, more hotels, more transport and, most likely, more time.

But the financial implications could prove even more significant. By making qualification easier for many of the game’s biggest nations, a 64-team tournament could reduce the commercial value of qualifying competitions while ​increasing the importance of FIFA’s own flagship event.

If broadcasters place less value on qualifying campaigns, soccer’s six regional confederations could become increasingly dependent on FIFA’s own distributions, potentially shifting more financial influence — and ​power — towards the global governing body.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for the World Cup itself, and it’s not a good idea for our qualifiers either. ⁠So I’m not supporting that idea,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said last year. The European governing body’s position has not changed since then.

Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa has also voiced opposition, ​questioning last year where further expansion might end.

FIFA did not reply to requests for comment.

“I think it is important that when you want to organise a World Cup, you do it for the whole world — not just ​Europe and South America,” Infantino said when discussing the idea of an expanded tournament. “If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.”

CHALLENGES ON AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SCALE

The 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States was the first since 1998 to move away from the 32-team format, expanding to 48 nations and 104 matches over more than five weeks.

If the competition retained the same basic structure, with four-team groups followed ​by a 32-team knockout stage, a 64-team World Cup would comprise 128 matches — 24 more than in 2026 and double the total staged under the old 32-team format.

Unless FIFA compressed the schedule or staged more games ​simultaneously, that could add roughly another week to a tournament already lasting more than five weeks.

Plans are in place for Spain, Portugal and Morocco to stage most of the 2030 finals, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay each hosting a single ‌opening-round match to ⁠mark the tournament’s centenary.

Accommodating 64 teams across six host nations presents a formidable organisational challenge. Doing so in a single country could prove even more demanding.

Saudi Arabia, due to host the tournament alone in 2034, already faces significant scheduling questions. Ramadan is expected to begin in mid-November that year, making the November-December window used for the 2022 World Cup in neighbouring Qatar difficult to replicate and potentially forcing another unprecedented reshaping of the global football calendar.

A 64-team tournament would magnify those challenges, requiring more stadiums, training facilities, hotels, transport capacity and volunteers while placing additional pressure on infrastructure in a country still developing its tourism industry.

The Saudis have proposed 15 venues ​for the existing 48-team format, with eight stadiums in ​Riyadh, four in Jeddah and others in Khobar, ⁠Neom, and Abha. Construction and renovation work is already underway ahead of the 2027 Asian Cup.

DOMESTIC PRESSURE

An expanded World Cup would also place greater strain on an already congested international calendar and increase pressure on domestic leagues, many of which have aligned themselves with Europe’s traditional August-to-May season.

Japan’s J-League is about to begin its first ​August-to-May campaign, while U.S. Major League Soccer plans a similar switch from next year. Any future winter World Cup would therefore disrupt an ever-growing number of ​competitions rather than primarily Europe’s ⁠major leagues, as was the case in 2022.

World Cups can be costly for national federations, even rich ones like France. The French Football Federation had been expecting to spend 24.5 million euros ($28 million) at this year’s World Cup, with federation president Philippe Diallo saying Les Bleus would probably need to at least reach the semi-finals not to lose money.

At the April FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Diallo said FIFA needed to provide greater financial support to participating nations.

If a ⁠48-team tournament ​is already stretching the finances of participating federations, a longer 64-team event could increase those costs further.

Player welfare concerns would also intensify, ​with more matches adding to the workload of elite players. A 64-team tournament would give more nations access to football’s biggest stage but could also reignite debate over competitive balance, tournament length, fan costs and whether the World Cup risks losing some of the exclusivity ​that has long underpinned its appeal.

Whether the idea progresses beyond discussion may depend in part on how the first 48-team World Cup is ultimately judged.

-Reuters

 

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