Not a football fan? Here's how to sound like a World Cup expert

ShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJames FitzGeraldBBCWith just days to go until the World Cup, you're probably hearing a lot more football chat than usual. But if you're not a superfan, how can you keep up? Our nine easy conversation starters will make you sound like an expert. The 2026 edition takes place across the US, Canada and Mexico - marking the first time that the world's top football competition has been co-hosted by three nations. There'll also be more matches than ever, as the tournament has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams. Critics accuse Fifa organisers of watering down the contest, but fans of Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan are happy to see their countries making their debuts. The final will be held in New Jersey and will include, for the first time, a glitzy half-time show, much like the Super Bowl - American football's biggest fixture. Madonna, Shakira and BTS are all set to perform. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, and Lionel Messi, who'll turn 39 during the tournament, have been selected to captain Portugal and Argentina respectively. Ronaldo has confirmed that this will be his final outing on the global stage. Many think it could also be the last tournament for Messi, whose nation won the competition in 2022. The two living legends could both make history as the first male players to appear at six World Cups. Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, 40, has also been selected for a sixth tournament, though he hasn't had time on the pitch on each occasion. Hosting historically gives a nation an edge - and since the first World Cup in 1930, about one in four tournaments have been won by a country staging the competition. But recent editions haven't been kind to host nations: South Africa (in 2010) and Qatar (in 2022) were eliminated early in the tournament, and Brazil (in 2014) suffered a humiliating 7-1 defeat to Germany in the semi-finals. Mexico made the last eight both times they hosted, in 1970 and in 1986, and the USA made the last 16 in 1994. The Canadians are hosting for the first time. The supporters of world champions Argentina are something special, says BBC Sport's chief football writer, Phil McNulty. One of his top sights at the Qatar tournament was thousands of their passionate fans snaking in long, noisy lines into and out of metro stations. But, Phil adds, Brazil's fans bring a carnival atmosphere to every city they play in - literally. The samba bands and their rhythms follow them around, and the World Cup is a combination of the things they love most. And Mexico's games at Mexico City's magnificent Estadio Azteca will revive memories of Brazil winning the 1970 World Cup final against Italy there - as well as Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand Of God" against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, followed by his spectacular second goal. If the cards fall right for England, and they end up playing there in the last 16, the atmosphere will be stunning. The Brazilians also make a big deal of the World Cup back at home - and who can blame them, given that they've won the tournament more times (five) than any other nation. Matches are treated as national events that reshape daily life, BBC Brasil reporter Iara Diniz explains. The country's National Congress, for example, adjusts its schedule around match times: sessions aren't held during games, and working hours are shortened so people can watch. Across the country, streets are decorated with flags and public spaces are painted in national colours. This year, in Rio de Janeiro, the city government will even give out prizes for the best decorated streets. In Scotland, some public-sector workers - including NHS employees and staff from five councils - will be able to take off 15 June, the day after the team's first fixture of the tournament, against Haiti. As if the incentive of winning football's top prize wasn't enough, players are also offered financial bonuses by their national associations. These vary significantly between countries - with some rewarding appearances, some rewarding progression through the tournament, and others using a combination of both, says Prof Rob Wilson of the University Campus of Football Business. Some countries reportedly offer their players hundreds of thousands of pounds each if they win the famous golden trophy - though little information is made public. Germany has one of the most transparent associations. The winning 2014 squad were each given 300,000 euros (£260,000; $350,000). But not every association can offer bonuses on the same level. 2014 was also the year that players from three separate African nations - Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria - ended up in dispute with their national authorities over bonus payments, which were reported to have been relatively low five-figure sums. France boss Didier Deschamps is part of an all-time elite group of just three men who've won the World Cup as both player and manager. But he's not the only former star we'll see leading his c

Not a football fan? Here's how to sound like a World Cup expert

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