2026 FIFA World Cup: The Most Talked-About Moments So Far
The moments, the memes and the madness.
By Larissa Wong - published
The FIFA World Cup is the one event where football fans and even non-football fans around the globe gather at stadiums, sports bars, and in front of their TVs to watch history unfold for 39 days straight. This year, the blockbuster tournament is being held in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with the group stage played in all 16 cities and the highly anticipated finals in New York’s MetLife Stadium.
So far, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered everything fans could have hoped for—and plenty of moments that no one saw coming. From a star-studded opening ceremony and unforgettable goals to breakout stars and a jersey-wearing ... duck? Yes, a duck, who was a crowd favourite, might we add. The tournament has been as much about the moments off the scoresheet as those on it. Whether it sparked debate or had us glued to our screens, these are the moments that has the world talking.
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1. A Surpise aespa Spotting
Aespa’s Winter and Karina almost gave us “Whiplash”, because they made a surprise appearance at the World Cup. The two K-pop stars were spotted cheering on their home team in their match against the Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico. Even in a crowd of over a 100,000 people, the girls were the talk of the town, and they were even nicknamed the “victory fairies” by fans online.
2. Cape Verde’s Goalkeeper Wins Hearts
Team Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias had everyone buzzing after an eight-save clean sheet against Team Spain against all odds, earning his nation their first-ever World Cup point in history. After his stellar performance, his Instagram following skyrocketed by 15 million in mere days. While his saves on the pitch sparked some buzz, it was his story that really won people’s support.
In an emotional post-match interview, the goalkeeper expressed that he wished his mother could have been there to witness his historic World Cup debut, but the cost of obtaining a visa stopped her from making the trip. The good news is, his story sparked an outpouring of support from fans all over the world, prompting US officials to aid her case. On 22 June, she was finally able to watch her son play in the last round of the knockout stages against Team Uruguay.
3. Team France and Their Bag Game
Team France won the World cup in 1998 and 2018, and in 2026, while the World Cup isn’t over yet, they’ve already won the team award for best bags. The team made a stylish entrance in their custom Nike Team France World Cup tracksuits, with an insane array of bags in hand. Here, Aurélien Tchouaméni is seen carrying an Hermès Haut à Courroies (HAC), Rayan Cherki with an Hermès HAC Birkin and Manu Koné packing light with a yellow Goyard toiletry bag.
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4. Merlin the Duck
Meet Merlin the duck, a feathered friend, viral sensation and unofficial mascot of Team Mexico. He was first spotted on the streets of Mexico with his owner Karla Ivette Gómez. Donning his very own mini Team Mexico jersey, Merlin was destined to be a star. He has since gained millions of views online, become a hometown hero and even met the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, at a press conference.
5. Team Congo Served Animal Print Realness
Can we hear a little commotion for Team Congo’s World Cup suits? Animal print outfits worn by football players weren’t on our 2026 bingo cards, but we’re not mad about it at all. Upon arriving in Houston for group stage matches, Team Congo stepped out in tailor-made black suits with leopard print panelling and a silver leopard brooch on each of their lapels. The custom ensemble was designed by Congo-born, Paris-based designer Alvin Mak, who crafted the viral fashion moment and marked The Democratic Republic of Congo’s return to the World Cup after 52 years.
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6. The Star-studded Opening Ceremony
This year, the World Cup kicked off with a historic opening ceremony spread across Mexico, Canada and the United States, inviting some of the world’s biggest musicians to ring in the start of the event. In Mexico City Stadium, World Cup icon Shakira, aka singer of “Waka Waka”, headlined alongside Burna Boy for the song “Dai Dai”. Singers Maná, J Balvin, and Tyla also took the stage.
In Toronto, Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette took the stage alongside performances from Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, and Nora Fatehi. Last but certainly not least, our girl LISA performed her song “GOALS” alongside Anitta and Rema, with Future, Tyla and Katy Perry singing their hits after.