Kickback 26 is your front-row seat to the 2026 World Cup. Hosted by David Gass, Claudia Pagan, Heath Pearce, and Eric Krakauer, this podcast breaks down every World Cup group with a mix of tactical insight, big-picture context, and a healthy dose of banter. From host-nation pressure on Mexico, Canada and USA to dark horses, “groups of chaos,” and which third-place teams might sneak through, the Committee walks you through the tournament one group at a time—making sense of the draw, matchups, and storylines that will define 2026.In this section, the team reacts to the World Cup draw and goes group by group, giving their analysis, predictions, and must-watch fixtures. Expect debates over Mexico’s ceiling as a co-host, South Africa’s resurgence, how dangerous Korea can be, what Switzerland and Italy really are at this stage, and which UEFA playoff nations could flip a group on its head. If you want smart, funny, and deeply informed World Cup talk that actually helps you understand what’s coming in 2026, this is where you start.

Listen to our World Cup Capsule Podcasts and follow us on First Touch: https://linktr.ee/firsttouchksm

01:35 - Group A

12:01 - Group B

18:59 - Group C

27:12 - Group D

35:07 - Group E

39:35 - Group F

43:00 - Group G

46:37 - Group H

48:58 - Group I

52:02 - Group J

56:01 - Group K

59:22 - Group L

Spain has only lifted the World Cup once, but La Roja seem omnipresent in every tournament conversation—and 2026 will be no different. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass traces the arc from Spain’s 19th-century football origins and Civil War-era politics, through decades of underachievement, to the tiki-taka golden age that produced Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, and Euro 2012 in one breathtaking four-year span. We break down what made that generation special, why things dipped from 2014 to 2022, and how a new wave has restored Spain’s status with a Euro 2024 title under Luis de la Fuente. At the center of it all is 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal—a Rocafonda kid turned Ballon d’Or contender—who has already become the creative heartbeat for both Barcelona and Spain. With an embarrassment of midfield and attacking talent, a refreshed tactical identity, and a habit of peaking in tournament play, Spain head to North America looking for their second star.

They shocked the world by toppling Messi’s Argentina in 2022; now Saudi Arabia is trying to prove that was no one-off. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass tells the story of the Green Falcons—from the early days of English sailors kicking a ball around the Gulf, through Asian Cup dominance and a magical 1994 run in the United States, to years of stop-start progress on the global stage. We break down the seismic 2–1 win over Argentina in Qatar, the national holiday that followed, and how that moment supercharged Saudi ambitions on and off the pitch. With Herve Renard back in charge, a high-pressing, physically demanding 4-2-3-1, and a squad drawn almost entirely from an increasingly star-studded Saudi Pro League, the Falcons head into 2026 as fascinating dark horses. Keep an eye on creative midfielder Musab Al-Juwayr, the league’s young player of the season, as the country builds momentum toward hosting the World Cup in 2034.