Hey everyone, welcome back to Learn English Through Football. I’m Jake. And I’m Maria. Today we’re doing something fun and, honestly, super useful for your English… we’re talking about the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Yeah… and we’re not just chatting for fun. We’re using the World Cup to learn everyday English, football vocabulary, and a few phrases you can use in real conversations. Exactly. And don’t worry if you’re not, like, a hardcore football expert. If you can say “goal” and “wow,” you’re already halfway there. True. So, quick overview: the 2026 World Cup is a big one because it’s hosted in three countries… the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Three hosts. That’s a great English phrase, by the way: “co-hosts” or “joint hosts.” You can say, “The tournament is co-hosted by…” Nice. And another major thing… the tournament is bigger than before. More teams. Right, it’s expanding. So the phrase “to expand” means to get bigger. Like, “The World Cup is expanding to include more teams.” And you can also say “an expanded tournament.” That’s a common adjective form. Okay, so let’s make this practical. Imagine you’re talking with a friend and you want to bring this up. You could say, “Did you hear the 2026 World Cup is being held in North America?” Or more casual: “Hey, did you know the next World Cup is in the US, Canada, and Mexico?” Yeah. “Did you know…” is such an easy conversation starter. Let’s do some key vocabulary. First one: “host city.” That’s a city where matches are played. And you might hear “venue” too. A venue is the place where an event happens, like a stadium. So you can say, “This stadium is a World Cup venue.” Exactly. And when you talk about stadiums, another common word is “capacity.” Like, “That stadium has a huge capacity,” meaning it can hold a lot of people. Capacity is a great word. Not just for sports. You can say, “This room is at full capacity,” like… it’s totally full. So, Maria, if you were planning a trip for the World Cup, what would you say in English? Like, a normal sentence. Hmm… I’d say, “I’m thinking of traveling for the World Cup, but I need to plan my budget.” Budget. Super important word. Your budget is basically the money plan, right? Right. Like, how much you can afford. Another travel phrase: “book a flight,” “book a hotel.” And if prices are too high, you can say, “It’s out of my budget.” That phrase is really common. Yes. Also, you’ll hear people say “I’m saving up.” That means you’re putting money aside over time. Okay, now football English. Let’s start with the basics: “match” and “game.” In football, people often say “match.” Americans might say “game” more. True, but both are understood. You can say, “Did you watch the match?” or “Did you watch the game?” Then there’s “group stage.” That’s the early part where teams play in groups. And after that you get into the “knockout stage,” where, basically, if you lose… you’re out. That phrase “you’re out” is nice and informal. Like, “They lost, so they’re out of the tournament.” Or “They got knocked out.” That’s a super common football phrase. Let’s practice a few reactions you can say while watching. Like when something surprising happens… Oh, easy. “No way!” Or “You’re kidding!” Or if you’re shocked… “I can’t believe it.” And if somebody scores an amazing goal: “What a goal!” Or more dramatic: “That was insane.” Now, let’s talk about predictions. People love predicting the winner. Yeah, and it’s a great way to practice future language. You can say, “I think Brazil will win,” or “I’m pretty sure France is going to go far.” “Go far” means they’ll reach later rounds, maybe semifinals or final. So if you say, “They’ll go far,” you mean they’ll do well. Also, “favorites.” Like, “They’re one of the favorites.” That means many people think they have a strong chance to win. Right. And the opposite could be “underdog.” That’s a team people don’t expect to win… but they might surprise everyone. I love underdog stories. And by the way, “an underdog story” is used outside sports too. Like someone starting with disadvantages and then succeeding. Now let’s do a quick mini-roleplay. You’re at work or school, and someone asks you about the World Cup. Maria, ask me a question. Okay… Jake, are you excited about the 2026 World Cup? Uh, yeah, totally. I’m especially excited because it’s in North America. I feel like the atmosphere is going to be crazy. Nice. “Atmosphere” means the feeling in the stadium or in the city—like the energy. Yeah. And then you could ask, “What teams are you supporting?” And you can answer, “I’m supporting…” or “I’m rooting for…” which is a great phrase. “I’m rooting for Mexico,” ...
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