Arena: What will be the legacy of this World Cup?

On this week's episode of Arena, Maurice Brosnan speaks to Joe Callaghan about the World Cup

Arena is a weekly podcast from the Irish Examiner. Pic: Getty

On this week's episode of Arena, we are joined by sportswriter Joe Callaghan, who is in Canada ahead of their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this Friday.

104 matches, 48 teams and 16 host cities, what does a successful tournament look like, both on and off the pitch?

Joe joins Maurice and the team to discuss the atmosphere on the ground and whether the controversies that have surrounded the tournament in recent months will affect its reception. He also provides a detailed breakdown of Fifa's approach to this expanded World Cup, from soaring ticket prices to political concerns.

On the field, they discuss the teams capable of springing a surprise, the tactical trends that could define the tournament and what the World Cup means to them.

Arena is a weekly podcast from the Irish Examiner. Get in touch with Maurice at [e-mail]. You can follow Joe's World Cup coverage on X at @JoeCallaghan84.