In Mexico City this week it has proven hard to avoid Hugo Sanchez the former Real Madrid great promoting various products on billboards. Raul Jimenez features on several signs while Alexis Vega of Toluca appears on others yet Sanchez still dominates. Football promotions are everywhere. A Fifa sign at the airport blocks the arrivals area for foreign passport holders though immigration checks remain remarkably simple. Traffic congestion worsened by teacher strikes and protests sees women selling counterfeit Mexico jerseys.

Does this amount to genuine pre-tournament excitement? Not really. New football motifs have appeared on murals in Coyoacan where some Frida Kahlo images seem to glance disapprovingly though stern expressions were her norm. Flags hang in bars and cafes in certain districts yet the enthusiasm of waiters and drivers upon meeting actual World Cup attendees indicates limited crowds so far. If gridlock signals fervor then Mexicans are ready but reports suggest few anticipate strong results from their team and many feel sidelined by Donald Trump headlines.

A disordered city has grown slightly more unsettled and with further protests expected from teachers retired judges and activists highlighting the cases of 134000 missing persons it may intensify. Yet the World Cup has not truly begun.

This edition already carries heavy stigma from visa troubles high ticket costs and Gianni Infantino bowing to Donald Trump. A broad backlash prompting Fifa reform remains unlikely though possible. Meanwhile a football event starts Thursday with Mexico facing South Africa and South Korea meeting Czechia. How events unfold is uncertain.

Even an ideal path points to a gradual pace with 72 group matches needed to remove teams ranked 33rd to 48th unlike the prior 48 games for ranks 17th to 32nd since 1998. The World Cup name alone may sustain attention but many final group fixtures will pit already-qualified sides. Jeopardy in the last 32 could arrive abruptly and feel jarring.

Argentina rebounded from an early loss to Saudi Arabia to claim the title just as Spain did after falling to Switzerland in 2010. A defeat at the equivalent last-32 phase this year would eliminate both sides and it is unclear if that would aid the event. The format appears hastily devised by Infantino in 2022.

Mexico lost momentum after the Concacaf Gold Cup triumph last year dropping all six late friendlies. They have recovered with six wins in eight outings plus draws versus Belgium and Portugal. It remains unclear how Alexis Vega fits Javier Aguirre 4-3-3 yet a 5-1 victory over Serbia last Friday hinted at timely form. Hopes sparked by South Africa reaching the 2023 Cup of Nations semifinals have dimmed after a last-16 exit to Cameroon at the 2025 edition and no friendly wins since.

Mexico reached quarterfinals in their two prior hosted World Cups. Repeating that would require overcoming England in the last 16 assuming favorable seeding. England rank among four top seeds shielded until semifinals a status largely earned though they may suffer most from Premier League fatigue.

Following the Club World Cup and expanded Champions League plus heat and humidity at venues exhaustion could prove more acute than before. Spain impressed while winning Euro 2024 and possess a possession-oriented midfield suited to conditions yet forward injuries may blunt the direct threat seen at the Euros.

The extended schedule makes squad rotation and minute management vital and no team matches France depth. Didier Deschamps may favor caution which has limited France since their 2018 triumph yet a defensive base supported by attacking talent could suffice. Without a clear standout France and Spain appear leading contenders.

Argentina again depend on creating chances for Lionel Messi who turns 39 mid-tournament while Cristiano Ronaldo at 41 poses the main hurdle for Portugal and their strong midfield seeking a first title.

Brazil have not fixed midfield problems and injuries have affected the Netherlands. Morocco and Senegal offer credible threats or Japan could emerge as an outsider despite Kaoru Mitoma absence.

All this feels distant with nearly six weeks until the final. The subdued group stage may explain why focus has stayed on Trump and Fifa controversies rather than matches.

World Cup resentment often fades once play starts. This time the discontent may linger and the expanded format may fail to ignite interest. Or perhaps Vega sets up Jimenez in Thursday opener allowing everyone to overlook the negativity and even Frida Kahlo to smile.