While geopolitics darkened the headlines, the 2026 FIFA World Cup continued its march through the knockout rounds, providing a global counterweight of spectacle and joy.
Spain faced Austria in a Round of 32 clash at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Manager Luis de la Fuente made two changes to his lineup, bringing in Dani Olmo and Pedro Porro for Mikel Merino and Marcos Llorente, while Austria shook up their side with Kevin Danso, Paul Wanner, and Michael Gregoritsch entering the fray.
Meanwhile, Brazil was projected by Opta’s supercomputer to have a 64% chance of advancing past Norway, and England’s camp was reportedly fretting over the “altitude shock” facing them in their Round of 16 match — with Norwegian outlet Dagbladet quoting English sources calling the disadvantage “impossible” to overcome, while statistics reportedly did not favor the Three Lions either.
Beyond the pitch, the World Cup’s economic impact was making waves. La República reported that Latin American fans drove a 31% increase in transactions in host countries, with supporters from across the continent fueling a consumer boom in food, hospitality, and retail. DoorDash even launched special DashPass discounts for World Cup watch parties, a sign of how deeply the tournament has permeated everyday commercial life in the United States.
