"I don't think there's any passion in the world like Boston passion. I think they embrace the people and things they love wholeheartedly. I think they put their entire hearts on their sleeves when they care about a person, a team, a restaurant, a place...I think that the players will feel that. I think the U.S Men's National Team will feel that tenfold, but I hope that the other teams feel a little bit of the passion. I hope they feel us and hear us there. I think people are not ready for American soccer fans who have been waiting for a long time for this event to happen. For how excited folks are going to be and how intense we can get. I think we should give every single ounce of our energy, and Boston is the greatest place for passionate people." - Noah Kahan

After the World Cup Final Draw set the destiny of nations on December 5, the Men in Blazers media network hosted a fiery live show at Roadrunner Boston on December 6. The Path to World Cup Glory, presented by Bank of America, the Official Bank of FIFA World Cup 2026, featured insightful analysis, hot takes, and, of course, the hope.

The night began with the fans, who flooded into the venue sporting an array of New England jerseys, ranging from our fearless leaders, the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (USMNT), to the New England Revolution, to the Portland Hearts of Pine, to Vermont Green. Their passion and excitement could be heard all across the venue as they chatted about their predictions and dreams for the World Cup. With less than 185 days until the games begin and fresh off the previous night's draw, fans were barely able to contain their excitement. They eagerly posed in front of backdrops, visited the Revolution's beloved mascot, Slyde the Fox, and grabbed some drinks from the bar.

The festivities began when beloved co-creator of the Men in Blazers network and British-born broadcaster Roger Bennett (Rog) burst onto the stage. His contagious energy filled the venue as everyone stood and waved their teams' scarves. It's time to "celebrate your magical kingdom together. This singular positive joyful life force that is Boston," he said. He loosened up the audience with jokes about his youth (including the incredible hair he used to have), how much he loves Dunkin' Donuts, and how the city's semi-aquatic Duck Tour vehicles make him feel like he's right at home in Liverpool. His outlook set the euphoric, humorous, and empowering tone for the night, as he introduced a slew of brilliant guests who would share their thoughts on the year ahead.

First up was Zdeno Chára, a Czechoslovakia-born Boston legend, Stanley Cup-winning defenseman, and captain for all 14 of his seasons with the Bruins. He discussed his career, including how he returned to the ice less than 24 hours after surgery for a gnarly jaw injury in 2019, which Rog joked was less time than the World Cup draw took the previous night.

Chára shared his love for the city, "The people work hard, they are passionate about sports, they love their sports. I love the culture. There are multiple cultures here, and they all find a way to respect each other and live together. It is an amazing city." His remarks were a perfect representation of the melting pot of cultures that will visit the city in 2026 during the games at Gillette Stadium. Chára assured everyone that, beneath the achievements, he is just a regular guy. He wanted to leave Boston feeling inspired, sharing how anyone can do anything if they put their minds to it and pursue that core curiosity.

Next up, sportswriters and journalists at The Athletic, Rory Smith and James Horncastle, shared their expertise and opinions on the groups. They started off testing the waters with the idea that the U.S. might have to prepare for the English to win on the 250th anniversary of the nation's independence, eliciting fervent boos and laughs, "If you think [the English] are bad losers, wait until you see us as winners."

Out of 48 teams and 12 groups, games in Groups C, I, and L will take place at Gillette Stadium in June. They analyzed Group I first, praising Senegal for its freshness and picking Norway as the potential underdog shock of the group. The highly anticipated Halland vs. Mbappe match will fly through Foxborough on June 26, a moment sure to echo the sentiment of the night: "The region is ready to explode for soccer, and it's ready for the World Cup in 2026." Of course, they spent a moment on Group J and the potential for a game where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo face off, also known as "the closest World Cup football has come to Zoolander walk scene," remarked Rog. Since this is the first time 48 teams will play, there will be 72 matches and 8 third-place teams, which Smith and Horncastle agree will make for a fruitful "slow burn" that generates stories and gripping drama.

Soon after, a stacked roundtable featuring former USMNT forward and host of "The Deuce" podcast on the MiB network, Clint Dempsey, former USMNT player and host of the "VAMOS" podcast on the MiB network, Herc Gomez, and New England Revolution USMNT goalkeeper, Matt Turner, stormed the stage. They were ready to celebrate the U.S. and give the country its moment. Dempsey hopes that these games will generate "more excitement in non-World Cup years...It will get more people on board, and you'll see more fans attending tournaments like soccer in America [and] packing out stadiums."

Gomez echoed that sentiment, revealing the U.S. is often incorrectly overlooked, "I always hear that the U.S. isn't a soccer nation, and I push back on that. There's a reason the club World Cup comes to the United States...because this is a soccer-loving country, and I hope that Matt and the USMNT inspire the next generation...this World Cup, everyone's paying attention."

While everything discussed was pure speculation, what they know for sure is narrative. This is the first time Haiti has appeared in the tournament since 1974, and they qualified amid a humanitarian crisis. Rog took a moment to celebrate Haiti and the power of having the world scream its name and cheer it on in its matches, including the June 13 match in Foxborough against Scotland.

Similarly, Turner's hope for the U.S. team is to showcase what this country has to offer, "On the playing side, the legacy. I want our team to be able to represent this country in a way that everybody can look at it and say that is a good representation of the United States, not only as a soccer team but as people as well.

The discussion simultaneously aired on the side of caution. While the media has painted the United States' group as the best-case scenario, Gomez issued an eye-opening warning: every team in the group sees it as a potential and accessible pathway to the next round. One cannot read too much into the friendly against Australia, and perhaps Paraguay may even be out for revenge after the U.S. beat them in 1931. They all prayed that Türkiye would not end up in Group D playing the U.S.

The night could not end without bringing out someone who has won a World Cup, so Sam Mewis, key player for the U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT), joined the stage to share what makes this city special and how tourists coming next spring can blend right in. Her top three suggestions: Poopsie's pizza joint, Dunkin' Donuts, and Island Creek Oysters, where she's had some of her "favorite food in the whole world."

Mewis believes the World Cup presents an incredible opportunity to introduce this game to many Americans who may not be fans yet. With "all eyeballs on soccer," it is sure to put women's soccer "right there next to it where it belongs." Mewis reflected on how hardworking, loyal, and scrappy Boston is, and that when you need it, you can count on this city. A core belief echoed by the grand finale's special guest.

Vermont-born Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Noah Kahan closed out the night talking about his love for Chelsea F.C. and the city of Boston. He reminisced on the days his mom let him leave school early to watch soccer as his high school yearbook photo flashed up on the big screen. Kahan recently returned to his alma mater, New Hampshire Hanover High School, for an alumni game where he scored a killer goal. His earliest memories of the World Cup go back to the 2006 game when Zidane headbutted Materazzi, and the 2010 opening match he watched in 7th grade in his cafeteria.

Kahan's love for this sport has helped him stay grounded and contextualize his music career, "So much of my life is about me, my career and marketing myself and thinking I'm interesting enough to keep writing songs about year after year...Football allows me to escape that and be part of something bigger and more important than just what I'm doing that day. It helps me think about community. It helps me think about this thing that I can't control, allowing yourself to not be in control but still support it and hope it happens anyway. It's a hope I get to have every week instead of a certainty of what I'm going to do that day, and I appreciate that. I appreciate being able to step outside myself. I appreciate having something to care about."

He shared that whenever he's on tour and there’s a Chelsea F.C. game, he finds the nearest bar and watches the match with random people from all walks of life. Something important to him in a day and age when it's "harder and harder...to find something that connects us all." Even when he's performing, he'll spot some Chelsea F.C. jerseys in the crowd, reminding him he has "brothers and sisters" wherever he goes.

Rog asked him for his thoughts on the 2026 FIFA World Cup being the first to add a halftime show, and what guests he would bring out if asked to do it. Kahan opted for collaborator and fellow football fan Sam Fender, as well as the talented Kacey Musgraves. The singer's passion for the game is a thread that weaves throughout his whole career, though he does not think his music has the celebratory tone the U.S. needs to get through the games. When asked what chant he would write, Kahan humorously responded with "'I'm pretty sure that we might succeed,' my music is not hype music..it’s when they lose and go to the Appalachian Trail to find themselves."

Men in Blazers and its fearless leader, Roger Bennett, delivered on a night packed to the brim with entertainment, wisdom, and the storylines, heroes, and heartbreaks that await us all. Kahan posed for a picture with the audience before they played everyone out with his hit song "Stick Season." Start gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup now, because it is going to be a big one. Visit MenInBlazers.com for more information and click here to watch the livestream of the event presented by Bank of America, the Official Bank of FIFA World Cup 2026. To learn more about buying tickets to next year's matches at Gillette Stadium, click here.