A global spotlight will be shining down on the 2026 FIFA World Cup one month from today, as teams from all over will converge on the United States, Mexico and Canada to begin the highly anticipated tournament on the pitch.
But while the World Cup brings about positivity and friendly competition for billions around the world, real-life problems still exist.
One of those situations is found in the Middle East, as the U.S. and Iran, which also qualified for the World Cup, remain an open conflict. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said Iran “for sure” will play in the World Cup despite the conflict.
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Tyler Adams, the U.S. men’s national team’s midfielder and captain, didn’t comment directly about the Middle East conflict, but he knows that despite “crazy” things happening around the world, the game of soccer and the World Cup can be a unifying time for everyone.
“Soccer brings everybody together no matter the situation,” he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview, while also highlighting his partnership and work with Scotts. “That’s something I gravitated towards when I wanted to play the sport. The diversity in it. How whatever country you go to, there’s soccer fields no matter where you are in the world. It’s that one sport that you find everywhere.
“I think this event is really going to bring people together, and I really hope it brings the American people together as well.”
Adams’ first World Cup came in 2022, when he represented the U.S. alongside his teammates at a very controversial host site of Qatar. From criticism of the country’s human rights violations to death of migrant workers during stadium construction, many accused Qatar of sportswashing throughout the tournament.
But Adams believes four years later, no matter what is happening around the world, the World Cup can provide positivity, camaraderie and unity.
“I think that times in the world are obviously crazy right now. When there’s a lot of uncertainty in the world, there’s nothing like a World Cup where people can close their eyes for a second and really experience something special,” he said. “So, again, I think that success we have can really move the needle in how the sport grows in our country and I’m hoping we can do that.”
While the U.S. has never won a World Cup, Adams knows this group is a special one, especially after the experience they had in 2022. They were green in Qatar but now, with a home crowd behind them, Adams is confident his group has what it takes to not just make it out of Group D, but make a run at the trophy.
“I think the balance we have within our squad is so good,” he said. “So many of these guys I grew up with for such a long time now. They’re some of my closest friends, guys I talk to every day. So, at the bare minimum, we’re just going to be excited to hang out together, have the banter in the changing room that we have with one another, and really just enjoy the whole process.”
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The U.S. will kick off its group stage in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium against Paraguay on June 12. Meanwhile, Iran will be playing at the same host site three days later.
“We hope that, by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation,” Infantino said during the CNBC Invest in America Forum last month in Washington, D.C. about the Middle East conflict. “That would definitely help. But Iran has to come, of course. They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”
Speaking of growing the game, Scotts, North America’s leading lawn care products brand, partnered with Adams with its “Keep It Real” initiative, which is aimed at expanding access to youth sports and green space, funding over $432,000 while partnering with Every Kid Sports to aid over 2,000 kids across 48 states.
As part of the effort, Scotts and Adams, who are spotlighting the value of natural grass in terms of safer play, helped restore natural grass fields where the next generation can grow the game. One of those was even his hometown field.
“When they came to me with this idea and this initiative, it was quite simple. I think one of the biggest things I need to do as a professional athlete now is give back to my community. That being said, I am giving back to my community with the partnership where we did a field day last summer, and we’re restoring the field I played on as a kid. It was pretty cool to go back home and see that a brand I’m working with supports the ideas I have and give back to that community. Really, really grateful for that and the partnership. We’re starting to do really good things.”
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