Forget politics or returning to the moon — back on Earth, the 2026 World Cup hosted by Mexico, the US and Canada is set to thrill legions of football fans worldwide. (EPA Images pic)
PARIS: It’s a year set to hold lunar trips, footballing spectacles and a battle for control of the US Congress, among others.
Here are five big events to watch out for in 2026.
– Climate: Will the world act? –
The world is already experiencing record heat — and things are likely to get hotter in 2026.
Last year was the warmest on record, but the UN says there is an 80 percent chance that at least one year will be even hotter by 2029.
How will nations react? COP30 in Brazil recently showed that multilateralism in climate action is not dead, despite the US boycott and geopolitical conflicts.
“2026 must be the year in which international climate diplomacy reinvents itself,” said Rebecca Thissen, from Climate Action Network.
“COPs are not an end in themselves but a high point in an international political agenda that desperately needs to get on the same page,” she added.
A close eye will be kept on how many countries respond to Colombia’s invitation to the first international conference on phasing out fossil fuels in April.
Aleksandar Rankovic, director of The Common Initiative think tank, was disappointed by COP30’s outcome and wondered if the “Gen Z-led rebellions that have emerged worldwide will start fighting for climate as well” in 2026.
Biggest football World Cup
The biggest World Cup in history will see 48 countries competing in the United States, Canada and Mexico, under the gaze of Donald Trump.
The most-watched sports event in the world will unfold over nearly six weeks, from June 11 to July 19, with the US providing 11 of the 16 venues.
Trump’s tensions with the co-hosts over tariffs and immigration could make for a politically charged competition.
On the pitch, a richly talented French squad led by Kylian Mbappe will be determined to make up for their defeat to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the 2022 final in Qatar, but Spain also has high hopes.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 when the tournament kicks off, has said his sixth World Cup final will be his last, and he would dearly like to crown his career with a first global title for Portugal.
Cape Verde, Uzbekistan and the tiny island nation of Curacao are among the countries appearing for the first time.
Fans could face eye-watering costs for the most popular games due to FIFA’s use of dynamic ticket pricing.
Gaza, Israel and Netanyahu’s future
US pressure led to a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into force on Oct 10, after two years of war.
The truce is proving fragile, and Trump’s peace plan for the Gaza Strip leaves many points unresolved, such as future stages of the Israeli army’s withdrawal, reconstruction of the Palestinian territory and its future governance.
By formally endorsing Trump’s plan, the UN Security Council laid the groundwork for the deployment of an international force in Gaza that, fundamentally, neither Israel nor Hamas wants.
The Palestinian Islamist movement refuses to disarm under the conditions set by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is threatening to resume fighting if the Gaza Strip cannot be demilitarised through diplomacy.
Now 76, Likud leader Netanyahu intends to run again in the elections due to be held no later than November 2026.
His multi-party coalition, which now holds just 60 of 120 seats in parliament, remains fragile.
He might therefore be tempted to pursue the military option against Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon to keep his far-right allies on board, and secure the total victory he has promised Israelis.
That is, unless Trump — seeking the Nobel Prize and eager to transform the precarious Gaza truce into a wider regional peace deal — can offer Netanyahu a giant prize of his own: the normalisation of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Control of US Congress
As voters brace for the 2026 US midterm elections, the stakes could hardly be higher — for Trump, Congress and the nation.
Trump isn’t on the ballot, but a strong Republican showing would validate his sway, proving his grip on power beyond the White House.
Underperformance would undercut his kingmaker role, expose cracks in his movement and complicate the path for his chosen successor.
For Republicans, control of Congress hangs by a thread.
Their razor-thin House majority and slim Senate margin hinge on defending swing districts and vulnerable incumbents in battlegrounds like Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio.
Trump’s strategy — steering primaries, endorsing loyalists and announcing a midterm convention — reflects concerns about turnout without a “Trump” box to check.
Democrats see opportunity. The president’s party historically loses midterm seats, and forecasts suggest Republicans could struggle to hold the House. Democrats are also targeting four Senate flips needed to seize control.
For Americans, the election is about more than Congress; it’s a referendum on Trump’s executive reach, economic policy and the direction of democracy.
Full Republican control would let him cement his legacy; Democratic control in either chamber would slow his agenda and likely entangle his administration in investigations.
Astronauts around the Moon
Could 2026 be the year astronauts return to the Moon?
NASA’s crewed Artemis 2 mission, undertaken with private partners like SpaceX, has been repeatedly postponed but is scheduled for lift-off early next year, in April at the latest.
It would be a key step towards Americans once again setting foot on the lunar surface, a goal announced by US President Donald Trump during his first term.
China aims to land on the moon by 2030 and is also making progress.
Its Chang’e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the Moon’s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft, Mengzhou, is also set to go ahead next year.
India, which landed a robot on the Moon in 2023, is another country with emerging space exploration ambitions.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to send an astronaut into orbit in 2027.
The moon will be an essential stepping stone on any journey to Mars. It will likely be used to install relay bases, test suits, vehicles and energy sources, and to learn how to live in deep space.
