World Cup Draw Circus: Roger Bennett on 2026 Chaos, MLS’s Messi Era, and America’s Soccer Boom

The World Cup draw just turned into a full-blown circus — comedians, concerts, fake peace prizes, supermodels, and a two-day TV marathon before a single ball was revealed. This week, Asli Pelit and Michael LoRé break it all down with Men in Blazers founder Roger Bennett, who was in the middle of the madness.Roger explains why FIFA is transforming the 2026 World Cup into an American-style entertainment product — and why this draw may be the preview of a tournament that changes football forever. What used to “be an email” is now a global spectacle, and he says that’s no accident.They also dig into the biggest storyline fans aren’t ready for: 2026 might be the most expensive World Cup in history. Tickets, hotels, travel — everything is skyrocketing. But Roger argues it won’t matter. Every World Cup starts in panic and ends in pure chaos and joy on the streets — from Brazil’s beach takeovers to South Africa’s vuvuzela mania. Kansas City hosting Argentina? Unreal scenes incoming.Then the conversation zooms out: how did America go from ignoring the 1994 World Cup to becoming one of the most plugged-in football markets in the world? Roger walks through the long game — Beckham, Messi, NWSL growth, streaming, FIFA video games — and what’s at stake for MLS and the U.S. men’s national team heading into 2026.And finally, Roger gives the prediction only Roger could give: Haaland as a Nordic Shaq, the Village People somehow already winning, and why he still dreams of a U.S. run on home soil. If you want to understand what’s coming in 2026 — the hype, the money, the chaos, the opportunity — this is the episode.---For more, follow Asli and Michael on InstagramAsli - @brefootcontessaMichael - @michale.loreAnd follow the show…On Instagram - @financeoffootballpodOn Facebook - /financeoffootball---The Finance of Football, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is…Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRéEditing and Sound Design by Ryan HammondMixing and Mastering by Julian KwasneskiExecutive Produced by Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky---Check out more of Frequency Machine’s podcasts - including Undercover Sports, a show about the wildest sports conspiracy theories, at frequencymachine.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.