The 2026 World Cup is over. Before moving on, NOVA is taking one last look back through some of the tournament's standout images, shot by the photographers who covered it start to finish.
The Fans Made the Tournament
Some of the strongest images from this World Cup weren't on the pitch at all. @sara.messinger captured a young fan in a Norway kit mid-turn, caught between the crowd and the camera, along with two young girls in matching Messi jerseys outside the stadium. @anothermarksmith found a bar full of Argentine fans erupting mid-celebration, blue wigs and Messi jerseys and all, while @billydeee shot both a couple mid-kiss in a packed Spain bar and a row of women covering their mouths in disbelief, hijabs and jerseys together in the stands.
On the Pitch
The action images hit just as hard. @clubeleven's shot through the back of the net, ball mid-flight with a goal celebration blurring in the background, puts you right where the drama actually happens. @brianchorski captured Spain's players on the field post-win, the World Cup trophy already making its way through the huddle.
Behind the Scenes
@devinlamoreaux closed out the set with a black-and-white shot from the tunnel: a lineup of players walking out under the stadium lights, names like Balogun and Richards printed across their backs, caught in that quiet second before kickoff.
A Tournament Worth Remembering
Put together, the set is a reminder that a World Cup isn't just goals and trophies. It's the fans losing it in a bar three time zones away, the kids in oversized jerseys, and the players in the tunnel before the noise starts. These photographers were there to catch all of it.
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