The 2026 World Cup is over, and it was dubbed by some as the most controversial and dramatic ever.
Here are five moments that made headlines around the world.
The Trump red card saga
After US striker Folarin Balogun was sent off, President Donald Trump personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for a review, and FIFA lifted the suspension so Balogun could play the next match.
It was the first time since 1962 that a World Cup red card didn’t lead to a ban, sparking outcry over political interference.
And speaking of Trump, there was another controversy of him lingering on the podium when the Spain team was looking forward to lift the World Cup trophy. That’s more of a funny moment instead, but still: Trump’s name was mentioned a lot.
The 6-4 goal fest
Yes, you’ve read it right: this is NOT a badminton score.
In the third-place playoff on 18 July, England beat France 6-4 in Miami after leading 4-0 at half-time. It was the highest-scoring World Cup match since 1982 and the most goals ever in a third-place playoff, with Saka scoring a hat-trick and Mbappe becoming the all-time top World Cup scorer.
Of course, this is the opposite of the World Cup Final, which ends at 0-0 after 90 minutes.
The “FIFA favours Argentina” conspiracy
VAR came under fire all tournament, especially in Argentina’s matches. After a controversial quarterfinal, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan fumed “It’s all about money,” claiming FIFA wanted Messi to stay in, fuelling a widespread fan theory that the tournament was being fixed.
Well, with Spain winning the World Cup, we can now confirm this is merely a rumour.
Haaland’s viral rise
Norway’s return after 27 years came with breakout star Erling Haaland. A clip of him sprinting spawned the “Haaland Running” meme comparing him to a monster, and he became a huge sensation in China, even fronting a herbal-tea ad where he breathes fire and speaks Mandarin.
Now, you cannot doomscroll without seeing him walking with his head forward. And I bet you’re hearing a certain song now.
Politics on the pitch
After beating England in the semifinal, Argentina players unfurled a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”), reigniting an old political dispute and adding to a tournament that had CBC asking if it was the most controversial ever.
The Falklands (called Las Malvinas in Spanish) are a British-controlled group of islands in the South Atlantic that Argentina also claims, and the two countries fought a brief war over them in 1982.
