World Cup
Beyond the World Cup: A Journalist’s Reflection at Ground Zero
By Kunle Solaja, Lower Manhattan in New York
For a journalist covering the FIFA World Cup, each day is usually measured by match schedules, press conferences, mixed-zone interviews and filing deadlines. Yet, amid the excitement of football’s greatest spectacle, there are moments when one steps away from the stadiums and discovers places whose stories transcend sport.
Such was my experience during a visit to Lower Manhattan, home to the rebuilt World Trade Center and the solemn National September 11 Memorial.
Having covered World Cups across four continents and witnessed football’s remarkable ability to unite people of different cultures, languages and backgrounds, I found myself standing before a different kind of monument, one dedicated not to victory or celebration, but to remembrance, resilience and humanity’s capacity to rise above tragedy.
Dominating the New York skyline is the majestic World Trade Center. Rising 1,776 feet into the sky, the gleaming tower stands as a powerful symbol of renewal after one of the darkest days in modern history. It occupies the site where the Twin Towers once stood before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, changed the course of history.
The soaring 102-storey One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, New York—the tallest building I have ever seen—stands as a striking symbol of resilience and renewal against the city’s iconic skyline.
As visitors from every corner of the world streamed through the complex, the atmosphere was strikingly different from the festive scenes that characterise World Cup venues. There were no chants, no drums and no celebrations. Conversations were softer, reflections deeper.
At the heart of the site lies the 9/11 Memorial, where two vast reflecting pools occupy the exact footprints of the former Twin Towers. Water cascades endlessly into the voids below, creating a setting that is both beautiful and profoundly moving.
Engraved around the pools are the names of nearly 3,000 victims who lost their lives in the attacks. Some visitors gently traced names with their fingers. Some family members left flowers beside loved ones’ inscriptions. Some put miniature American flags. Others stood silently, absorbing the enormity of a tragedy that continues to resonate around the world nearly a quarter-century later.
For someone whose professional life revolves around documenting sporting triumphs and memorable goals, the memorial served as a humbling reminder that some stories transcend competition, national rivalries and championship dreams.
The visit also highlighted New York’s remarkable resilience. Twenty-five years after the attacks, the area has been transformed into a thriving district of offices, cultural attractions, restaurants and public spaces. The energy around the World Trade Center reflects a city that refused to allow tragedy to define its future.
Standing at Ground Zero during the World Cup offered a powerful contrast between two expressions of humanity. One recalls a day that shook the world through fear and violence; the other celebrates an event that brings nations together through friendship, competition and shared passion.
Before my trip, my younger brother, Femi, also a journalist now based in Canada, repeatedly urged me not to miss the One World Observatory. He had visited years earlier as part of a sporting delegation and still spoke enthusiastically about the experience.
Perched atop One World Trade Center, the observatory is described as the highest observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. Spread across three floors of the 102-storey building, it offers breathtaking 360-degree views stretching nearly 45 miles in every direction.
Femi vividly described how landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty appeared almost miniature from that lofty vantage point. His stories painted such a compelling picture that I fully intended to follow in his footsteps.
Unfortunately, prudence intervened.
When I discovered that admission cost nearly $50, I decided, at least for now, to admire the tower from ground level. My brother would undoubtedly accuse me, as he often does, of bringing my legendary frugality all the way from Nigeria to America. He has long mistaken careful financial discipline for outright stinginess.
The teasing became even more justified when my host and former colleague at the defunct Concord Press of Nigeria, Kayode Ogunleye, generously offered to pay for the visit. Rather than accept the ticket, I jokingly suggested that he simply hand me the money and allow me to choose a more convenient day to make the ascent. Unsurprisingly, he declined the proposal.
Still, with several weeks of the World Cup remaining, I may yet return to Lower Manhattan and finally make the climb. If that happens, Femi will no doubt claim the achievement as a victory for his persistence rather than my curiosity.
Yet the World Trade Center is only one chapter in Lower Manhattan’s rich story.
Walking through the area, I was reminded that this district was once the gateway through which millions of immigrants first entered America. Nearby landmarks, historic streets and waterfront views tell stories that span centuries, making Lower Manhattan one of the most historically significant places in the United States.
As evening descended and the lights of the city illuminated the skyline, my thoughts inevitably drifted back to the World Cup and the matches that awaited. Yet the visit to Ground Zero left an impression that will endure long after the final whistle of the tournament.
For a travelling journalist, the World Cup is about far more than goals, trophies and headlines. It is also an opportunity to encounter the history, culture and spirit of the places that momentarily become the centre of the world’s attention.
And in New York, few places speak more eloquently about resilience, hope and the enduring strength of the human spirit than the World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial.
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World Cup
World Cup 2026 Group Stage Shatters Records as Football’s Global Spectacle Reaches New Heights
By Kunle Solaja, New York
The group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has concluded in record-breaking fashion, with unprecedented attendance figures, massive fan engagement and a global celebration of football that has already made the tournament the biggest in the sport’s history.
According to a press release by FIFA, the first-ever 48-team World Cup attracted a staggering 4,644,549 spectators across 72 matches so far played in 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States, setting a new benchmark for football’s premier event.
Over the course of 17 days, the expanded tournament brought together more nations, players and supporters than any previous edition, underscoring FIFA’s ambition of making the World Cup a truly global festival of football.
A total of 1,248 players representing 48 countries were registered for the tournament, with 999 taking part during the group stage. The expanded format has provided more nations with an opportunity to compete on the world’s biggest stage while delivering a broader range of matchups and storylines.
The impact of the tournament has extended well beyond the stadiums. FIFA reported that the FIFA Fan Festival programme, the largest in the competition’s history, has already attracted 5.5 million visitors across the host nations, creating vibrant gathering points for supporters unable to attend matches in person.
The scale of fan engagement has also been reflected in some eye-catching statistics. More than 300,000 hot dogs were consumed during the group stage alone. FIFA noted that if those hot dogs were placed end to end, they would stretch approximately 45 kilometres — roughly the distance between New York New Jersey Stadium and John F. Kennedy International Airport.
From packed stadiums and fan festivals to global television audiences and digital engagement, the opening phase of the tournament has highlighted the growing popularity of the World Cup and the success of the expanded 48-team format.
With the knockout rounds now underway, FIFA believes the first 17 days have laid the foundation for an even more dramatic conclusion to the competition.
The record-setting numbers underline the tournament’s status as football’s greatest show and suggest that the 2026 edition could become the most watched and most attended World Cup ever before the final whistle is blown in July.
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By Kunle Solaja
Africa’s hopes of extending its remarkable run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will rest heavily on Morocco when the Atlas Lions take on the Netherlands in a tantalising Round of 32 clash on Monday.
The North Africans have become standard-bearers for the continent since their historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup and now face another stern examination against a Dutch side renowned for its attacking prowess.
The Netherlands enter the knockout encounter as one of the tournament’s most prolific teams, having scored two or more goals in eight of their last nine World Cup matches. Their free-flowing attack has made them one of the favourites to progress deep into the competition.
But Morocco have built their recent World Cup success on a rock-solid defence, particularly against European opposition. The Atlas Lions have kept clean sheets in five of their last seven World Cup finals matches against teams from Europe, a record that underlines their ability to frustrate some of the game’s traditional powers.
That defensive resilience has become a hallmark of the Moroccan side, which has continued to enhance Africa’s growing reputation on the global stage.
With nine African nations reaching the Round of 32 — the highest representation of any confederation at this World Cup — Morocco’s campaign carries significance beyond national borders.
A victory over the Dutch would not only secure a place in the Round of 16 but would further reinforce the continent’s growing competitiveness against Europe’s elite.
The match presents a fascinating contrast of styles. The Netherlands will seek to impose their attacking game and exploit the creativity that has yielded goals throughout the tournament, while Morocco will rely on organisation, discipline and swift counter-attacks.
For the Atlas Lions, confidence comes from a growing record of success against European teams at major tournaments. Their performances in recent years have shown that African teams are no longer content merely to compete; they are increasingly arriving with ambitions of challenging for the latter stages.
As Morocco prepare for another showdown with European opposition, the encounter offers an opportunity to add another memorable chapter to African football’s continuing rise at the World Cup.
With a place in the last 16 at stake, the Atlas Lions will be aiming to prove once again that their achievements are no longer surprises but the product of a team capable of matching the world’s best.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA
Germany will seek to continue their impressive FIFA World Cup knockout-stage record when they face Paraguay in a Round of 32 encounter on Monday, with history strongly favouring the four-time world champions.
The Germans have won eight of their last nine World Cup knockout matches, underlining their reputation as one of football’s most formidable tournament teams. Having navigated the group stage successfully, they now turn their attention to a Paraguay side eager to upset the odds.
Paraguay, however, face an ominous challenge. The South Americans have lost all four of their previous World Cup knockout ties against European opposition, including three successive 1-0 defeats that ended promising tournament campaigns.
While Germany arrive as favourites, Paraguay have already demonstrated resilience during the competition and will hope their disciplined defensive structure can frustrate the Europeans.
For Germany, progression to the Round of 16 is the minimum expectation as they continue their pursuit of a fifth World Cup crown. Paraguay, meanwhile, see the match as an opportunity to rewrite a troublesome chapter in their World Cup history and register a landmark victory over European opposition.
With a place in the last 16 at stake, Germany’s pedigree will be tested by a Paraguay side determined to prove that history counts for little once the knockout rounds begin.
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Beyond the World Cup: A Journalist’s Reflection at Ground Zero
World Cup 2026 Group Stage Shatters Records as Football’s Global Spectacle Reaches New Heights
Morocco Eye Another European Scalp as Atlas Lions Face Dutch Test
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