Nestor Perinot: “More Than a World Cup…”

In this article, Nestor Perinot, CEO at Prisa Media USA, shares his personal and professional experience covering the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the AS.com USA team. He highlights the power of sports journalism and fan culture across host cities, while celebrating the unforgettable personal milestone of experiencing the tournament and its stoppage-time thrills together with his son, Matias.

This year, the FIFA 2026 World Cup was much more than the biggest sporting event on the planet. It brought together passion, culture, friendship, and unforgettable moments.

This summer, I had the privilege of experiencing the tournament from a perspective I will always treasure. With the incredible AS.com USA team, I attended ten World Cup matches and witnessed firsthand the energy, emotion, and excitement only football can create. As a born and raised Argentinian, I couldn’t be prouder of my country’s football fans. Being with fans from Boca, River, Independiente, and Racing who traveled thousands of miles supporting our team, singing, jumping, and crying together was incredible. The experience of a lifetime.

Connecting Industry Leaders and World-Class Journalism

The World Cup brought together colleagues from across Grupo PRISA, Hispanic media professionals, marketing leaders, and friends. Between stadiums, press areas, clients’ events, Fan Zone invitations, and countless lunches and dinners, I was reminded that some of the most valuable opportunities in our industry happen when great people come together and share their passion. Working alongside such a talented editorial team was inspiring, and watching them at work blew my mind. Their dedication, creativity, and commitment to delivering world-class coverage for millions of fans showed why quality journalism still matters, especially in moments that unite audiences worldwide.

“Their dedication, creativity, and commitment to delivering world-class coverage demonstrated why quality journalism continues to matter, especially during moments that unite audiences around the world.”

While the matches themselves were extraordinary, what made this experience truly special were the people, the fans.

The Passion of the Fans and a Personal Legacy

Beyond the matches, I also experienced the World Cup atmosphere across Kansas City, Atlanta, Dallas, and Miami. Each city had its own personality, but the fans’ passion was universal. From the incredible “banderazos” organized by Argentinian supporters, filling the streets with flags, songs, and chants, to the impressive Norwegian “row” display created by their fans, the creativity and passion were everywhere. What struck me most was seeing fans of all ages—children experiencing their first World Cup, parents sharing the tradition with their families, and lifelong supporters traveling thousands of miles to be part of something bigger than themselves. Walking through these cities and seeing how “futbol” brought people together was one of the most memorable parts of the entire journey.

“Walking through these cities and seeing how ‘futbol’ brought people together was one of the most memorable parts of the entire journey. What made this experience truly special were the fans.”

But above all, this World Cup will remain unforgettable for a much more personal reason:

I had the opportunity to share many of these matches with my son, Matias. Watching the world’s greatest sporting event through his eyes, celebrating unforgettable moments with our Argentina national team while creating memories that will last a lifetime, is something no professional achievement can surpass. I can still feel it when we hugged after Lautaro Martinez’s goal against England and Enzo Fernandez’s goal against Egypt; both in stoppage time, moments we will share for the rest of our lives.

I want to thank my colleagues, friends, partners, and everyone I had the pleasure of seeing and spending time with during the 42 days of the tournament. The World Cup may be over, but the relationships, experiences, and memories will stay with us forever.

Let’s replicate this amazing experience next year in Brazil during the Women’s 2027 FIFA World Cup.

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Nestor Perinot interviews Radhika Duggal, CMO, MLS, during the 2025 edition of Portada Live NYC