Overview
- The World Cup began Thursday across Canada, Mexico and the United States with 48 teams competing under a tri-host format.
- For the first time a majority of teams are led by coaches born outside the countries they manage, with only 43.8% of head coaches native to their teams.
- The coaching group is the oldest at a World Cup since 1974, averaging 57.3 years and featuring 78-year-old Dick Advocaat as the tournament’s eldest manager.
- High-profile foreign hires such as Carlo Ancelotti for Brazil and Marcelo Bielsa for Uruguay break long-standing national traditions and show federations prioritizing proven experience.
- Tournament expansion widened access for smaller federations, producing many debutants and foreign appointments, five managers who did not coach their teams through qualification, and a record six Argentine coaches on the sidelines.