England want to play Premier League football at this World Cup. It may not be that easy
When England chose their training base for this World Cup, they drew a latitudinal line across a map…
All hail King Messi, did the World Cup GOAT just get greater? Day six recap
After the upsets and the feel-good stories, the World Cup shifted into a new gear on Tuesday. It…
Why is food and drink for World Cup fans so much cheaper in Atlanta?
With record-high ticket, travel, and accommodation prices, the cost of the World Cup has burned a hole in…
Long Throws 1, Football 2: How many Premier League tactics will be seen at this World Cup?
It was beautiful, in some ways, maybe, to a few people. Vladimir Coufal wiped the ball against his…
Breaking down the dirtiest World Cup opening game we’ve ever seen – or was it?
Was that the cleanest ‘dirty game’ the World Cup has ever produced? The plain facts are these: referee…
Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford and how club football tensions can seep into the national setup
Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon are in direct competition for the left-sided attacking role in Thomas Tuchel’s England…
Netherlands brought Total Football to the world. Now, many fans would just like to win something
As part of our Language of Soccer World Cup series, The Athletic is speaking to supporters of all…
Diverse. Complicated. United. This is what it is to be a USMNT soccer fan
As part of our Language of Soccer World Cup series, The Athletic is speaking to supporters of all…
Dutch soccer club loses court appeal after ‘chaos’ warning of 133 replays
Dutch soccer club NAC Breda has lost a court appeal brought against the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) over a…
Over 4,000 fake football shirts seized by police in pre-World Cup crackdown
Over 4,400 fake football shirts have been seized by UK police in the biggest raid of a new…
How does Italian football move on from crushing failure to reach another World Cup?
The Easter weekend in Serie A was inevitably spent contemplating resurrection. The national team’s failure to qualify for…
Ranking the 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup
The qualifiers are done, the play-offs have all been played. Hearts have been broken, but finally we know…