Kick Into Summer | Preparation in a Complicated World

KICK INTO SUMMER
On the Field. Off the Field. One Summer.

Kick Into Summer is the SDH Network’s home for the buildup to and the full experience of the 2026 World Cup. We tell the story of soccer’s biggest summer through the game itself and the cities shaping what this moment becomes.

I want to be clear about something from the outset. I do not enjoy that we have to talk about what happened Saturday. The news of U.S. military action against Iran and the resulting escalation with Israel and across the region is deeply troubling on its own terms, separate from sport. The human, political, and moral implications of what has happened and what is ongoing sit heavy with me, and they sit heavy for many around the world.

Today, Iran’s football federation president publicly raised doubts about the nation’s ability or willingness to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup because of those events. Iran is already qualified and drawn into Group G, with matches scheduled in Los Angeles and Seattle, but Mehdi Taj made clear that the context has become fraught and uncertain. Nothing has been decided. FIFA has said it is monitoring the situation and there is no formal withdrawal at this stage.

In this moment, the soccer world we follow with joy and passion intersects with forces far bigger than any calendar or fixture list. We cannot compartmentalize global conflict away from the World Cup build simply because we want to focus on sport. Reality does not work that way. But we also cannot leap to conclusions or assume outcomes that have not been confirmed. This situation remains fluid and unresolved.

As we move toward summer, the game itself will matter and be needed more than ever. But so will context. Recognizing both, without reflexive cheerleading or callous dismissal, is part of telling the full story of 2026.

What’s happening in the game, and why it matters.

Another development this week that underscores how the road to 2026 will be shaped by both form and fortune involves Cristiano Ronaldo. Reports emerged that Ronaldo suffered an injury setback while with his club, raising fresh questions about his availability for the 2026 World Cup. At 41 years old, he remains one of football’s most consequential figures, and Portugal’s buildup narrative has long featured his potential participation as a focal point.

At this stage the club has not provided a detailed prognosis that definitively rules him out of the tournament, and national team staff have emphasized that assessments will evolve as medical reviews continue. The situation is a reminder that elite athletes, even icons, face real physical limits and that World Cup narratives built on individual stars are always provisional.

For Portugal, the signals now are to prepare for multiple scenarios rather than assume a best-case. For the broader tournament story, it is an early example of how physical condition and competitive readiness will matter just as much as tactical identity or qualification. The healthiest teams in the summer of 2026 are likely to be those that anticipate change rather than rely on certainty.

How cities are preparing to welcome the world, and what lasts after.

Atlanta’s World Cup preparation is expanding beyond logistics and infrastructure to include the classroom. U.S. Soccer recently launched the FIFA Football for Schools educator training program with nearly 75 P.E. teachers from Atlanta Public Schools participating in hands on sessions designed to integrate soccer into school curricula ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The program equips educators with coaching tools and lesson frameworks that connect the game to teamwork, communication, and physical literacy. Sessions were held at community locations including the West End MARTA Station pitch, reinforcing that this initiative is about access as much as instruction.

What makes this effort significant is its long term perspective. Hosting matches next summer will bring global attention to Atlanta. Embedding soccer into public school systems builds something more durable. Students introduced to the game through structured education programs this year may become the next generation of players, coaches, and supporters well after the final whistle in 2026.

Atlanta’s business community is gearing up for the World Cup’s economic ripple effect. City leaders and economic partners estimate that the matches coming to Atlanta this June could generate roughly $503 million in local economic activity, driven by tourism, hospitality demand, and match-day spending. Local entrepreneurs are preparing for that influx with targeted support from Invest Atlanta, which is offering small business loans of up to $15,000 with no repayments due until after the tournament to help owners upgrade infrastructure, patios, and customer experiences ahead of the global audience expected in the city.

For many local businesses, this is more than a short-term boost. The funding and planning assistance aim to position establishments to benefit not only during the World Cup but also in the long term as Atlanta solidifies itself as a year-round destination for major events and international visitors.

What’s next before the next edition, and why it carries weight.

London, England
With Thomas Tuchel now deep into decision-making on the roster for the World Cup, squad debates are surfacing. Conversations around Anthony Gordon and Nick Pope reflect how competition for places is tightening well before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nothing is settled, but the message is clear. Form, fitness, and tactical fit will outweigh reputation as Tuchel shapes England’s tournament identity.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Reports from Brazil indicate that Carlo Ancelotti may have already effectively secured 18 of the 26 spots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad, with the notable absence of Neymar at this stage of planning. While the roster is not finalized and fitness remains a key variable, the situation reflects how the Selecão’s tournament identity is taking shape under Ancelotti’s stewardship as the countdown accelerates.

This week reinforced that the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is not linear. It is shaped by global politics, evolving squad decisions, regulatory changes, infrastructure testing, and corporate investment in access to the game. From geopolitical uncertainty to VAR adjustments, from Atlanta’s new grass surface to youth mini pitches funded for long term impact, 2026 is being constructed in layers. The tournament will be measured not only by what happens during 90 minutes, but by how responsibly it is prepared for and how intentionally it leaves something behind.

Days to kickoff: 102
What that means: We are close enough that preparation shifts from planning to proof, where surfaces are tested, squads begin to narrow, and the infrastructure behind the spectacle must function exactly as intended.

This is not just a tournament build. It is a moment unfolding inside a complicated world, shaped in real time by decisions far beyond the touchline as well as by players, cities, and communities preparing to welcome it.

The road to 2026 will not be insulated from global reality. It will reflect it. How we prepare, how we respond, and how intentionally we build access and opportunity will define what this summer ultimately represents.

Thanks for being part of telling the full story of how it will be remembered.

Jason Longshore
SDH Network

Kick Into Summer is part of the SDH Network’s 2026 coverage: telling the story of soccer’s biggest summer with clarity, context, and community, starting in Atlanta and reaching everywhere the game lives.