Soccer
Does the World Cup favor democratic or autocratic nations? I did some number crunching to find out
Hosting the FIFA World Cup games can prove a propaganda win for authoritarian nations. But the data suggests the tournament favors democracies.
Seat the rich! World Cup ticket inflation reflects widening gap between haves and have‑nots
The wild swings of dynamic pricing, ongoing accusations of FIFA corruption and questions of host-nation probity have created a huge backlash.
40 years on, Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal is still celebrated. But should it be?
A philosopher of sport guides readers through the ethics of Diego Maradona’s most celebrated goal – and his most controversial.
Haiti at the World Cup is more than an underdog tale – it is the story of global migration
For the first time since 1974, the Haitian men’s team has qualified for the World Cup. This is their story.
For Iran’s diaspora, a tough World Cup call: To support the national team or protest – or both?
Iran’s team faces a hostile reception from the US government and some of its brethren in the diaspora. Yet others hope the event will trump politics — for now.
‘Soccer’ is a fine term for the beautiful game – don’t let any ‘football’ snob or president tell you otherwise this World Cup
‘Soccer’ originated as a slang term in the 1880s and continues to be used around the world today. So why are some people squeamish about the term?
The 1994 World Cup helped rescue ‘the beautiful game’ from mediocrity. On its return to the US, expect more of that beauty
Global soccer was in the doldrums in the early 1990s – with poor ethics and boring defensive tactics. Then FIFA set about changing the game.
Will a ‘Trump slump’ continue to hit US tourism in 2026 − and even keep World Cup fans away?
Talk of boycotts have added to fears among the US tourism industry that foreign tourists will continue to stay away.
We tested the new World Cup ball – this is what you need to know about how it will fly, dip and swerve
For two decades, researchers have studied soccer ball aerodynamics. Latest tests suggest the 2026 ball is more stable, but with a slightly shorter range.