Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan has once again shared his passion for football, posting a reflective note on the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. As the tournament heads into its final stages, the actor spoke about controversial decisions, unexpected results and the emergence of young footballers who have captured the world’s attention.
In a detailed blog post, Bachchan admitted that the late-night World Cup schedule has disrupted his daily routine but said the excitement of the matches has made every sleepless night worthwhile.
‘Unfair decisions’ leave Big B frustrated
Sharing his thoughts on the tournament, Amitabh Bachchan wrote that football fans have experienced a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the competition.
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“The timelines and the idea of time have gone awry. The reason, of course, is the WC 2026; times to watch are weird and make our days even worse. We cheer, we have remorse, and we see with great distress the unfair decisions being made for one and not for the other,” he wrote.
The actor also pointed out how several traditional football powerhouses have suffered surprising exits, while lesser-fancied nations have exceeded expectations and earned global recognition.
“We get excited over the victories of those countries that we had never imagined would make it this far. Most of the renowned and well-known football countries have, with great regret, lost. That is surprising, but we are elated by the fact that those we never imagined have fought hard and gained recognition,” he added.
Praises young football stars
Bachchan also highlighted the growing influence of teenage footballers on the biggest stage, comparing their rise to the emergence of young cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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Drawing parallels between football and cricket, he noted that while players compete fiercely for their franchise teams in the IPL, they unite when representing their country.
“Like in the IPL, players play for different franchise teams and become competitors for each other. But when they are all put together for the national team they are ONE, it needs character. The evolution of fresh talent and guile emerges in each World Cup. At ages 17 and 18, youngsters represent an entire nation,” he wrote.
Reflects on changing times
Towards the end of his blog, the 83-year-old actor reflected on how every generation witnesses remarkable change.
He observed that the world continues to evolve rapidly, with younger generations benefiting from opportunities that were unimaginable decades ago.
“The rapidity of change towards betterment is a boon. The youth see and benefit from it. The elders express surprise and wonder why this did not occur when they were young… We won’t be there, but our young will, and that is a satisfaction of sorts,” Bachchan wrote.
His latest remarks come days after he made headlines for several football-related posts during the World Cup, underlining his keen interest in the sport as the tournament reaches its decisive stage
FAQs
What did Amitabh Bachchan say about FIFA World Cup 2026?
He said the tournament has featured “unfair decisions,” surprise victories by lesser-known teams and impressive performances from young footballers.
Why did Amitabh Bachchan compare FIFA World Cup to the IPL?
He said, much like IPL players who compete for different franchises before uniting for India, footballers represent a shared national identity when they play for their countries.
