Guest editors:
- Dr. Gibson Moreira Praça, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Dr. Mima Stanković, University of Niš, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Niš, Serbia
- Dr. Paul Widdop, Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Dr. Takeshi Asai, International Pacific University, Okayama, Japan
Explore the expanded FIFA World Cup 2026 in this Special Issue of Football Studies, featuring research on athlete preparation, performance analysis, machine learning, fan experience, sustainability, and governance and legacy of the new format.
The expansion of the FIFA World Cup marks a transformative moment in global sport, with implications that reach well beyond the pitch. The 2026 edition, the first to host 48 national teams and the longest tournament in history, introduces unprecedented challenges and opportunities for players, teams, and organisers alike. This Special Issue of Football Studies brings together multidisciplinary perspectives to examine how the enlarged tournament affects athlete preparation, scheduling, and player welfare, as well as its broader environmental, infrastructural, and technological challenges. In addition, we particularly welcome studies addressing advances in training methodologies and match analysis during the World Cup, shedding light on performance optimisation in this unique competitive context. Contributions also explore media dynamics, fan experiences, and the policy debates surrounding governance, equity, and legacy. By integrating insights from health sciences, social sciences, and beyond, this Special Issue provides a comprehensive understanding of the expanded World Cup as both a sporting event and a global cultural phenomenon.
This Special Issue of Football Studies explores the multifaceted impact of the expanded FIFA World Cup. It welcomes contributions that address athlete preparation, scheduling and workload management, performance analysis and training methodologies, environmental sustainability, infrastructure and urban planning, media and digital engagement, fan culture and experience, as well as governance, policy, and legacy debates. Particular attention is given to studies employing innovative approaches to match and performance analysis, including the use of machine learning, advanced metrics, and data-driven models to enhance understanding of tactical and physical demands in the unique context of the enlarged tournament.
The issue seeks multidisciplinary perspectives—from health and sport sciences to performance sciences, social sciences, law, economics, and cultural studies—in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and challenges posed by the tournament’s new format.
Manuscript submission information
- Submission Link: https://www.editorialmanager.com/footst
- Submission deadline: 1st December 2026
- Article type name: “VSI: The 2026 FIFA World Cup”
Keywords
FIFA World Cup 2026; Fan experience; Athlete preparation and workload management; Training and performance analysis; Match analysis and tactical evaluation; Machine learning and data analytics; Player welfare; Governance, policy, and legacy
