The Soccer 100: Lionel Messi — The greatest of all time
As part of our buildup to the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, we are publishing excerpted chapters from The Soccer 100, The Athletic’s…
Is the World Cup vulnerable to fixers? Fears grow as ‘every sport in every continent’ faces corruption
For the last eight months, The Athletic has been investigating the threat of fixing to the integrity of sport. In this first article in the series, we uncover the sheer…
Analyzing Canada’s World Cup squad: Emerging talents support star trio of Buchanan, David and Davies
Canada’s 2026 World Cup squad is finally here. Jesse Marsch has chosen the 26 players who will represent Les Rouges in their biggest World Cup ever: on home soil, with…
‘Free Christophe Gleizes’: the campaign to liberate a French football journalist jailed in Algeria
If this was a normal World Cup year, Christophe Gleizes would be busy. As a reporter specializing in African football, he would be reading, traveling, talking to people, checking in…
Analyzing USMNT's World Cup squad: Pochettino's top stars, key players and weaknessesPaul Tenorio, Henry Bushnell and more6
For the past eight years, hope and expectation in the United States have circled the home World Cup in 2026. After the success of the 1994 World Cup in building…
Analysing England's World Cup squad: Arsenal and Man City dominate, has Tuchel prioritised athleticism?Michael Cox, Mark Carey and more86
It’s fair to say that Thomas Tuchel has ruffled a few feathers with his England squad for this summer’s World Cup. There was no room for Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White…
Iran soccer’s only U.S. visit: death threats, diplomacy, jarring security and joy
The once-outlandish idea went from private meetings to the highest levels of government, from Chicago to Washington, D.C., from France to Tehran. It began as a speculative proposal for a…
The World Cup is one month away. This is how our writers are feeling about itLukas Weese, Asli Pelit and more14
Eight years after it was awarded to the United States, Canada and Mexico, the World Cup is now one month away. Here at The Athletic, we are getting excited and…
2026 World Cup: FIFA still haggling with broadcasters in China and India over ‘most U.S. tournament ever’
With a gag the FIFA president first tested at the World Economic Forum’s comedy festival in Davos this year, Gianni Infantino had them rolling in the aisles at the Milken…
FIFA, Predictstreet and the controversial rise of prediction markets. Just don't call it gambling…Dan Sheldon and Philip Buckingham8
How many times will Elon Musk post on X today? Will Donald Trump do anything this week? Hantavirus pandemic in 2026? Where will Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding occur?…