World Cup countdown begins

World Cup angst is nothing new, but concerns over the 2026 finals look set to linger

- By Henry WINTER

Welcome to 2026 and the World Cup that will cost many fans the earth to attend, all overseen by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Buildups to World Cups are frequently fraught with fear. Take the past 20 years. The 2006 tournament opened to screaming headlines about English hooligans running riot through the Ruhr and ruining the event, but banning orders and Germany's intelligent policing contributed to a peaceful World Cup.

Ills before the thrills: that's the standard rhythm before a World Cup. In the run-up to South Africa 2010, there was high anxiety of the tournament being engulfed by crime. I was sent on a hostile-environment course and taught how to do an emergency tracheotomy with a pencil to the neck in case the situation arose. I had armed security - yet the only thing I was at risk of in South Africa was sunburn. The country was beset with issues but the World Cup was fine.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was preceded by fears of violence. Early on, police skirmished with protestors angered at money being lavished on football rather than spent on improving conditions in the favelas. But the carnival of football was largely unaffected.

In the countdown to Russia 2018, there were worries amongst England's black players that their families might be racially abused. Danny Rose initially told his relatives not to travel but changed his mind when experiencing the country. There was plenty wrong with Russia, but England families and fans were largely well-treated out there.