Prince William and Prince Harry Poised for Awkward Reunion at 2026 World Cup
Prince William and Prince Harry may be headed for an unexpectedly public reunion next year, with royal watchers predicting a tense encounter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to a detailed report from Cosmopolitan, both brothers are likely to attend matches in the United States, setting the stage for their most high-profile face-to-face moment in years.
Prince William is expected to attend in his capacity as President of the FA, a role that typically includes visibility at major international tournaments. Harry, meanwhile, now based in California, is strongly tipped to appear due to his long-standing interest in global sporting events and the tournament’s proximity to his home in Montecito.
The Cosmopolitan report suggests royal advisors are already privately concerned about the optics of a reunion taking place in a highly public setting—especially given the continuing tensions following Harry’s book Spare and his and Meghan’s media projects. The brothers have not been photographed together since 2023, and insiders quoted in the piece describe the potential World Cup interaction as “unavoidable” but likely “awkward.”
The article also highlights that, while both men may wish to keep any encounter brief and courteous, the global visibility of the event means their body language, seating arrangement and interactions will be scrutinised and dissected across media platforms.
With the 2026 World Cup split across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, details of which matches each royal might attend remain unknown. But the possibility of a forced proximity moment during one of the world’s largest televised events ensures this reunion—if it happens—will become one of the defining royal stories of next year.
