2026 World Cup: Riccardo Cucchi is scathing: “One of the worst I’ve ever seen”
The 2026 World Cup has reached the knockout stage following the conclusion of the group stage. The World Cup, featuring 48 teams for the first time, has reached the halfway point, and experts have begun to assess the new expanded format championed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, on the introduction of “hydration breaks” that fragment the flow of the game, and generally on the level of play demonstrated by the national teams.
A harsh critique came from Riccardo Cucchi, a longtime RAI radio commentator who had already expressed skepticism in the past regarding the new World Cup format: “It’s one of the worst World Cups I’ve ever seen. Low quality, an excessive number of matches, a triumph of sponsors and advertising. Even for those who ‘pay to watch.’”
“The ‘used’ soccer of Infantino,” Cucchi continued in his Facebook post. “I hope there are still those willing to rebel and defend the soul and identity of this great popular phenomenon that soccer has been—and should still be.”
Weighing on the image of this World Cup is also the thorny issue of visas, which has poisoned the atmosphere surrounding the event from the very beginning. The Trump administration’s extremely strict policies have affected several national teams: the most striking case is that of Iran, which was forced to set up base in Tijuana, Mexico, with its logistics staff unable to obtain the necessary documents to enter the United States. Captain Mehdi Taremi denounced the situation in no uncertain terms: “It’s a disastrous World Cup. FIFA should have resolved these issues, but it failed to do so from the very beginning.” The Ivory Coast also paid a heavy price, finding itself deprived of the support of its fans, whom the U.S. government effectively barred from entering the country.
Faced with these tensions, Infantino’s position remained unchanged: “We cannot interfere in the immigration policies of a host country,” a statement that left a bitter taste in many people’s mouths and which the French daily L’Équipe summed up by calling this edition “one of the most politicized sporting events in history.” Donald Trump provided a counterpoint to the controversy, enthusiastically celebrating FIFA’s record numbers on Truth: “The numbers are far higher than those of any other World Cup in history. It’s a great tribute to the United States of America. Thank you, everyone!”
