What to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off Thursday, marking a significant sporting event across North America. WRAL's Louis Fernandez explains the storylines for diehard and casual soccer fans.

The WRAL Daily Download is an in-depth conversation about a single news story. WRAL covers news across North Carolina every day, but this podcast focuses on one story at a time, bringing context to each conversation. The in-depth, localized podcast takes you into the latest stories from Raleigh, Durham, and the entire Triangle region on North Carolina. This is community news aimed at keeping you informed about the more subtle stories that are happening around you. Hosted by WRAL News journalists, episodes post weekdays by 4:30am.