The World Cup<\/a>, the five-and-a-half-week-long tournament that decides which country can call itself the best soccer (known everywhere outside<\/em> of the United States as football) nation in the world\u2014at least for the next four years\u2014is officially underway. Last week, the action kicked off with the opening ceremony at Mexico City<\/u><\/a> Stadium, where Lisa, Tyla<\/u><\/a>, Future, and Katy Perry all performed before the home team squared up against South Africa, followed by South Korea versus the Czech Republic. The other two hosts, Canada and the U.S., began play the following day, with the former going up against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the latter competing against Paraguay. (Here’s the full 2026 World Cup schedule<\/u><\/a> for a breakdown by day.) The stakes are only going up from there as the true championship contenders, like Spain, France, England, and Argentina, make their way to the pitch.<\/p>\n But as much as the World Cup is about elite athleticism and brutal rivalries, it’s also a cultural event beyond just what happens after kickoff. Brands like Adidas<\/u><\/a> and Nike<\/a> have been preparing for the tournament for years and generating hype for months. Adidas<\/a>‘s recent Backyard Legends campaign<\/u><\/a>, released in early May, is a perfect example of this, with the German sportswear brand bringing together a star-studded cast, including the GOAT Lionel Messi; the rising star Lamine Yamal; one of the top players in the women’s game, Trinity Rodman; and noteworthy celebrity talent like Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet<\/u><\/a> and Bad Bunny<\/u><\/a>. Nike’s been just as aggressive, working with Travis Scott to build buzz around the sport in the lead-up to this year’s event. The World Cup only happens every four years, and it hasn’t been hosted in North America in 32 years, since it came to the U.S. in 1994. These giants of the sportswear world know just as well as fans do how big a deal the World Cup is, and they’re doing everything in their power to make it the most memorable tournament to date.<\/p>\n