World Cup 2026 viral challenges and memes raise health and cultural concerns

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a social‑media challenge called the “three‑kiss” ("beso de tres") spread among fans in fan zones and public gatherings. Health officials warned that kissing strangers in crowded settings could transmit infections such as mononucleosis, influenza, COVID‑19, herpes and, in rare cases, certain sexually transmitted infections.

At the same tournament, a meme trend portraying French striker Kylian Mbappé as a military‑dressed dictator flooded platforms such as TikTok, X and Instagram. The jokes depict Mbappé issuing orders and being depicted on fan apparel, generating millions of views and comments across the host nations.

Both phenomena illustrate how the World Cup’s global audience fuels rapidly spreading online content that can spark health alerts and cultural debate.