New York City’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani may not have had extensive time to analyze the World Cup contenders, yet he boldly declared a surprising prediction for the tournament.
Engaging with the Guardian’s World Cup Bracketology game, Mamdani forecasted Morocco as the victor of the 2026 World Cup, envisioning the Atlas Lions triumphing over France in the championship match. He acknowledged that his choice stemmed more from sentiment than statistics, stating he ultimately chose to “follow my heart.”
If his prediction materializes, Morocco would make history as the first African nation to clinch a World Cup title.
This forecast mirrors Mamdani’s deep-rooted ties to soccer and the North African communities in New York City. Celebrations erupted on Astoria’s Steinway Street when Morocco became the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final in Qatar in 2022, a moment he proudly joined after their quarter-final win against Portugal.
In his bracket, Mamdani also anticipates Haiti making it to the knockout rounds, Japan defeating Brazil, and the United States reaching the quarter-finals before falling to England.
The excitement is palpable as the countdown to the World Cup nears its end. Just six days remain until the tournament kicks off, and the United States prepares for a final test against elite competition, facing Germany under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino at Soldier Field, soon to become the former home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
Coming off a thrilling 3-2 victory over Senegal in Charlotte, where they fended off a second-half surge from Sadio Mané and his teammates with goals from Sergiño Dest, Christian Pulisic, and Folarin Balogun, the Americans are riding a wave of confidence. Today’s opponent, however, poses a greater challenge. Germany, the four-time World Cup champions currently ranked 10th by FIFA, offer a benchmark opponent for the United States, reflecting the caliber they may face in the knockout phase ahead. Historical encounters between the two teams include a notorious 1-0 quarter-final loss for the Americans in 2002, a match still remembered by US supporters, especially when discussing Torsten Frings.
Pochettino has made five adjustments from the lineup that faced Senegal, with Matt Freese taking the goalkeeper position alongside Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Miles Robinson, and Balogun. Tim Ream will lead the team as captain, while Pulisic earns his 86th cap, now just one goal shy of Eric Wynalda for fourth place on the all-time scoring list for the USMNT.
The lineups are confirmed, and kickoff is expected in approximately half an hour.
Freese; A Robinson, Ream (C), M Robinson, Freeman; Adams, McKennie; Pulisic, Tillman, Dest; Balogun
Germany
Baumann; Kimmich (C), Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Nmecha, Pavlovic; Sané, Musiala, Wirtz; Havertz
Bryan will arrive shortly. Meanwhile, here’s the latest update regarding Chris Richards’ situation.
