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Preview - Mexico v South Africa
9 June 2026; Alanna Slattery of Cloneen NS, Tipperary in action against goalkeeper Jennifer McGuire of Lankill NS, Aughagower, Westport, Mayo during the FAI Primary 5s National Finals at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
It’s time for football and footballers to take the power back from Infantino and Trump
Cathal Dervan, Editor
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19th in the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey - a location if not the old venue that will bring back so many happy memories for Ray Houghton and for so many Irish men and women and, maybe, some not so happy memories for John Sheridan.
But that’s a story for another day. And we have many football days to come this summer when we can celebrate Ireland’s own World Cup journey in all its glory and even the occasional goriness.
11 June 1990; The Republic of Ireland team, back row, from left, Chris Morris, Steve Staunton, Tony Cascarino, Packie Bonner, Mick McCarthy and Paul McGrath, with front row, from left, John Aldridge, Kevin Sheedy, Ray Houghton, Andy Townsend and Kevin Moran ahead of the FIFA World Cup 1990 Group F match between England and Republic of Ireland at Stadio Sant’Elia in Cagliari, Italy. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Instead, today’s story is all about the start of another World Cup romance, the four yearly celebration of our collective love affair with the greatest sporting event on the planet as the greats of world football and many others get ready to serve up a 48-team feast across Mexico, Canada and the United States of America.
Romance today, or so they tell me, often starts with the download of an app, a look at a screen and a decision to swipe right or carry on looking.
But that’s not how a World Cup romance should be, even if the remote control unit is going to be equivalent of a swipe left or right for most of the country as RTE broadcast all 104 games live across one or other of their many platforms.
They are to be commended for that by the way - even if I doubt anybody will watch all 104 matches live and in their entirety.
A World Cup romance should be more Mills & Boon than Tinder, more West End musical than Hollywood blockbuster, more sweep you off your feet than a flick of the wrist and a swipe right or even left, if there is such a thing.
I want this World Cup to flirt with me, to court me, to remind me of the first time, to remind me how it used to be.
I want the football over the next 38 days to force me to remember that thrill of 1974 when the television flickered into life and World Cup football came all the way from West Germany, a million miles away or so it seemed in the pre-Ryanair days.
I want a tournament that reminds me why I looked up Haiti and Zaire on the Atlas in my primary school, why I questioned how there was a West Germany and an East Germany, why I told anyone who would listen that Gerd Muller was the greatest goalscorer in the world.
11 June 1990; England goalkeeper Peter Shilton fails to stop the shot of Kevin Sheedy of Republic of Ireland to score his side’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 1990 Group F match between England and Republic of Ireland at Stadio Sant’Elia in Cagliari, Italy. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
I want football to be innocent and invigorating and essential once again. I want to see players I have never heard of, and from countries I have never even seen on a map, woo me and captivate me and make me want to support them.
Naively I know, but I just want the good old days back again, when football was played over 90 minutes with just one break, when the referee was the man in charge and when the commentators like Jimmy Magee, all on his own, turned a black and white picture into colour and made me feel like I was sitting alongside him.
This World Cup probably won’t tick any of those boxes. We know every player worth his salt even before a ball is kicked in anger. We know the story of every country that is going there, even the smallest ones like Curacao and Cape Verde, with our own Pico Lopes on board.
We know the fairytales before they are written because we live in an instantaneous world. And we know that Infantino and Trump will do their best to make this all about them and not about the football played on the pitch.
But that can’t stop us dreaming, that modern day reality can’t quell our hope for inspiration when Mexico and South Africa kick-off tonight or when Spain, I suspect, lift that trophy in New Jersey on July 19th.
FIVE TO FOLLOW
Gianni says chill!
McKenna calls time on Town
All clear now for Roy & Bruno
Cork again for Denise
Shels set for Celtic welcome
Nobody can tell us not to dream, not even Trump himself. As a 10-year-old in 1974, watching a World Cup I would actually remember properly for the first time, I never even questioned why Ireland weren’t on that stage. I was just too enthralled by Brazil and Argentina, by Haiti and Zaire, by Scotland and Poland, by Muller and Lato to even think about my national team.
That was the power of football in an age of innocence. If this tournament can offer that same dream to any young boy or girl experiencing World Cup magic for the first time, it will be a success.
If Messi or Ronaldo, Olise or Yamal, Haaland or Mbappe can inspire the new generation then all the ills of the football world can be forgotten for the 38 days and 104 matches at least.
That’s the magic of the World Cup. Always has been and always will be, no matter who is in charge. Let’s hope it lives up to the billing.
Five2Watch - Yan Diomande (19), Luka Vuskovic (19), Ayyoub Bouaddi (18), Kerim Alajbegovic (18), Johan Manzambi (20) - the five players Kevin Bannon has picked to watch out for at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as football prepares for the big kick-off in Mexico City on Thursday night.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has again taken centre-stage by storm as the world prepares to welcome the 2026 FIFA World Cup to its heart as joint hosts Mexico entertain South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Thursday night.
Speaking at his final press conference before the tournament begins, the FIFA President told critics of his regime and this tournament’s eccentricities to date, and there are many, to chill and relax.
As the Irish Sun reports, the under-fire FIFA boss also claimed that nobody could have done any more than Infantino to ensure the World Cup’s return to America is a success.
Addressing the issues of interference by US President Donald Trump, the Somalian referee’s ban from entering the States, Iran’s issues around having to move their base to Mexico and everything from ticket prices to water bottles, Infantino remained adamant that all will be good with the World Cup over the next six weeks.
Speaking in Mexico City, Infantino said: “When we are confronted with challenges, we have to deal with them. Sometimes we can solve them and other times we cannot and we try just to make the best.
“I don’t regret anything. I’ve been organising events for the last 30 years and I’m pretty much used to dealing with issues, big and small. What happened to Omar (the Somalian referee) was unfortunate but we don’t control everything.
“We try, we discuss, we speak and we see. Maybe sometimes it’s good as well to just, you know, chill, relax. Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.
“We always try to find solutions but we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over Governments. We don’t live on the moon, we live on Planet Earth, and we’ve tried to do our best.”
Fermanagh native Kieran McKenna is to take a break from professional football and take time out with his family following his resignation as Ipswich Town manager on Wednesday.
The decision was announced just weeks after McKenna guided Ipswich back to the Premier League, one of three promotions won in the past four seasons.
McKenna had been linked with the Fulham job but is adamant he is leaving the Suffolk club to spend more time with his family,
In a statement reported by the BBC, McKenna said: “I feel this is the right time for me to step aside. I do so with great pride at the incredible progress we have made and with huge hope and optimism for the future of the club.
“After giving so much to the role over the previous five seasons, I now look forward to taking a break from management and dedicating some time to my family, who have been with me every step of my career so far.”
Roy Keane has confirmed he recently chatted on the phone with Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and discussed their recent spat over comments made by the Irishman.
Fernandes had accused Keane of telling a lie about him but the pair kissed and made up in a recent phone call according to a report on the BBC website.
“He apologised, I forgave him, no problem, but no it was a good chat,” Keane joked on the Stick to Football podcast, according to the report.
“No, there was a reaction after what we said on the podcast a few weeks ago and he reached out to me and wanted a chat… I called him and we had a lovely chat. We had a nice, mature conversation. It was lovely. A lovely chat.”
Corkonian Denise O’Sullivan has said she wants Ireland to bring the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-offs to Pairc Ui Chaoimh ahead of next week’s draw.
Seeded going into the draw, the Irish squad has enjoyed their run of games on Leeside and made it three wins from three at the GAA ground with the win against the Netherlands last Friday.
“Yeah, of course,” O’Sullivan said about a return to Cork, as reported by the Irish Examiner’s John Fallon. “Three wins in three in Cork and last Friday was absolutely fantastic.
“I think the fans stuck behind us for 90 minutes. They were dancing and loud as ever at the end of the game. It’s a great atmosphere down there. I hope we can continue playing there.”
Celtic will play their first game of the new season in Dublin after Shels announced a July 7th friendly against the double winners at Tolka Park - with Martin O’Neill expected to take charge of the visitors.
O’Neill has yet to be confirmed for a return to the Celtic job full-time but it is believed he will be in the dug-out for the trip to Dublin ahead of a training camp in Portugal.
