Get free access to the most comprehensive World Cup coverage in The Athletic app. A thousand matches. Many of them life-changing, several history-changing. All of them part of the story. After 96 ...

Every World Cup guarantees thrilling games, brilliant goals and the presence of the best players on the planet. But also, ...

Former US soccer player Merritt Mathias looks at times when the beautiful game has been a political football. Plus, a deep dive into who is funding Reform UK ...

Few fixtures in World Cup history have carried as much political weight as Iran vs USA, and with a possible rematch on the ...

Mexico has a proud World Cup history. As of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins next week, the country will have served as ...