Arena: What will be the legacy of this World Cup?

On this week's episode of Arena, we are joined by sportswriter
Joe Callaghan, who is in Canada ahead of their opening match of
the 2026 FIFA World Cup this Friday.


104 matches, 48 teams and 16 host cities, what does a successful
tournament look like, both on and off the pitch?


Joe joins Maurice and the team to discuss the atmosphere on the
ground and whether the controversies that have surrounded the
tournament in recent months will affect its reception. He also
provides a detailed breakdown of Fifa's approach to this expanded
World Cup, from soaring ticket prices to political
concerns. 


On the field, they discuss the teams capable of springing a
surprise, the tactical trends that could define the tournament
and what the World Cup means to them. 


Arena is a weekly podcast from the Irish Examiner. Get in touch
with Maurice at Maurice.brosnan@examiner.ie. You can follow Joe's
World Cup coverage on X at @JoeCallaghan84.


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