What a summer of football we have just witnessed. Spain were crowned European champions by winning Euro 2024, defeating England in Berlin, while Argentina claimed a three successive major trophy by achieving back-to-back Copa America titles after lifting the World Cup at Qatar 2022. But football moves on quickly, and even though it is still party time in Madrid and Buenos Aires, the focus has firmly shifted to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
It will be the biggest World Cup -- a 48-nation tournament lasting 5½ weeks in three nations and 16 cities across four time zones -- and this summer's continental championships have identified the emerging stars and leading nations that could dominate the scene in two years' time.