The roar of the fans, the smell of American classics like the Philadelphia Cheesesteak, the blow of a ref's whistle, grass flying up from cleats, and the game-winning goal are all things spectators of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ will experience as soccer fans from around the world gather to celebrate the beautiful game.

While these moments take center stage, none of them would be possible if it weren’t for the silent heroes of the World Cup – truckers.

The World Cup is being played across 3 countries and 16 host cities, which calls for a lot of travel. And with 48 teams initially being part of the tournament, that’s a lot of cargo to be hauled.

Think about each element that goes into making a match possible. Some items may arrive initially via plane or ship, but eventually, a truck must transport them from the airport/dock to their destination.

Some of the cargo that needs to be hauled includes:

• Sporting equipment (goals, balls, etc.)
• Food and drinks for the players and fans
• Temporary structures and signage for FIFA Fan Festival™
• Specialty merchandise for fans to purchase
• Extra fuel for the increase in travel for the cup
• Lighting and other broadcast equipment
• Special game-day structures like barriers and tents 

This is just scratching the surface.

Even the grass had to be transported. FIFA requires games to be played on real grass, but half of the stadiums hosting have artificial turf. So, “custom hybrid grass” was grown to create the pitches.

That grass was trucked across multiple states from the farms to the stadiums.

Transportation is so essential to this tournament that FIFA has advertised for a “Teams Transport Coordinator” in Monterrey. The job description states that the role involves maintaining “daily communication with Fleet, Bus, A&D, Venue Transport, Security, Logistics, and Client Services functions”. 

Without trucks, these games would not be possible.

The Trucking Association of New York (TANY) even created the World Cup Resource Hub to help drivers navigate road closures, restricted zones, and heavily congested areas throughout the tournament.

Truckers have also come together to try to keep the games and the cities hosting them safe for all visitors. Truckers Against Trafficking held an event in late March in Missouri to raise awareness ahead of the incoming crowds and create strategies to prevent trafficking.

The World Cup is bringing nations together, and the trucking industry is the driving force ensuring all events go off without a hitch.