The 15

As you may be aware, the United States, along with two other countries in North America will be hosting the 23rd edition of the FIFA* World Cup. You know, soccer? It will be jointly hosted by sixteen cities – eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. There will be 48 national teams competing, up from the previous total of 32 teams. (This is probably what made the NCAA decide to stuff more teams into next year’s March Madness Tournament.)

(* FIFA Motto- ‘You must first pay us before we tell you what FIFA stands for.‘)

As a public service, over the next few days this site will be providing some information about the nations and teams competing. We hope you find it edifying and enjoyable.

Group A

Mexico

Unlike the 2026 Red Sox, Mexico has played well at home when hosting the World Cup, which they have done twice before. Veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa is set to feature at a sixth edition of the global finals while 17-year-old starlet Gilberto Mora is heading to his first as the youngest player from his nation to ever feature at a World Cup.

HC: Javier Aguirre

El Capitan: Edson Álvarez

Team Nickname: El Tri (The Tree)

Home Stadium: Estadio Azteca

South Africa

The final 26‑man squad is built almost entirely on domestic talent, with 19 players based in South Africa and strong representation from Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

Manager: Hugo Henry Broos

Team Nickname: Bafana Bafana

Team Spirit Yell: DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY!!

Vuvuzelas: Yes

South Korea

South Korea has emerged as a major soccer power in Asia since the 1980s, having participated in eleven consecutive and twelve overall FIFA World Cup tournaments, the most for any Asian country. Despite initially going through five World Cup tournaments without winning a match, South Korea became the first (and so far only) Asian team to reach the semi-finals when they co-hosted the 2002 Tournament with Japan.

HC: Hong Byung-bo

Team Nickname: Tigers of Asia, Taegeuk Warriors

Captain: Son Heung-min

Top Scorer: Cha Bum-kun

Favorite American Television Program: ‘Franklin and Bash’

Czechia

Czechia’s return to the FIFA World Cup after a 20-year gap is both historic and challenging. The team, captained by Ladislav Krejčí, enters their 10th World Cup as an independent nation. The country registered ‘Czechia’ as its official short geographic name with the United Nations in 2016, which is a bit like having a divorced friend you’ve known for years insist you now call them by their new ‘cool’ nickname, but whatever makes them happy, right?

World Cup Base Camp: Mansfield, TX

Team Nickname: Skákající Češi (The Bouncing Czechs)

HC: Miroslav Koubek

Best finish: Runners-up in 1934 and 1962

‘The O.C.’ character equivalent: Summer Roberts

Group B

Canada

Canada, a first-time host nation will be hosting matches in Toronto and Vancouver. Soccer is the largest participatory sport in Canada and is considered the fastest growing sport in the country. (Hmm, sounds familiar…)

HC: Jesse Marsch

Captain: Alphonso Davies

Team Nicknames: Les Rouges, The Reds, The Maple Leaf Team, The Canucks, The Canuck Red Maple Leaf Raptors

FIFA World Cup equal to Stanley Cup: No

Bosnia and Herzegovina

B&H appeared for the first time in a FIFA WC at Brazil in 2014, which remains the only time the team participated at a major international tournament to date since they have yet to qualify for the Euros. While Serbia is recognized by FIFA as the official successor of Yugoslavia, Bosnian players have played a role in World Cup history before their countries’ independence in 1992.

HC: Sergej Barbarez

Captain: Edin Dzeko

Team Motto: Nisi tako hrabar kad nas je dvoje, jel’ tako? (Not so tough when there’s two of us, are you?)

Dream World Cup Matchup: Trinidad and Tobago

Qatar

After a less than stellar showing as the host of the 2022 World Cup, Qatar qualified for this year’s tournament by beating the United Arab Emirates 2-1.

HC: Julian Lopetegui

Captain: Hassan Al-Haydos

Possible pronunciations: Cutter, Ku-tarr, Cuter, Quieter, Quasar, Quarter, Guitar, Git’r Dun.

Switzerland

Switzerland has a proud World Cup history characterized by early quarter-final glory, recent consistent round-of-16 appearances, and a blend of experienced leaders and emerging talent poised for the 2026 tournament. It plays an offense that is appropriately thrifty, precise, and trilingual, while it’s defense is like their banking regulations.

HC: Murat Yakin

Captain: Granit Xhaka

Team Nicknames: A-Team Nati, Rossocrociati, Devils rouges, Gerber Multi-tools

Robinsons on the squad: No.

To be continued-

Group C

Brazil

Morocco

Haiti

Scotland