It was 1994 when America last hosted the World Cup, and in the world of sports, a lot can change over 32 years. With the 2026 tournament set to kick off in just a few weeks, the event marks a “World Cup of firsts,” including an expanded 48-team field and the largest operational footprint in tournament history. Martin Conway, adjunct professor in the Master’s in Sports Industry Management program, recently joined faculty director of the Executive Master’s in Global Sports Operations & Strategy Bobby Goldwater to discuss how the evolving structure of the World Cup is reshaping everything from logistics and transportation to sponsorships and cross-cultural collaboration. Learn more about how the 2026 FIFA World Cup is setting the stage for the future of global sports events by watching the conversation above.
