As part of our Language of Soccer World Cup series, The Athletic is speaking to supporters of all 48 nations competing at the 2026 edition to capture their unique football culture, distilled into a single phrase.The World Cup is, of course, about football. But at its heart, through its history and in the images we conjure in our minds as we think of previous tournaments, it is also about fans.In this summer’s expanded men’s tournament, supporters of 48 nations will follow their teams across a sprawling competition taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.Ticket prices, visa issues and global conflict are all factors affecting the extent to which fans will be able to travel and watch the action first-hand. But whether they are making the long journey from Uzbekistan or it is the Cape Verde diaspora in the U.S. making its presence felt, all 48 nations will be represented this summer — and all will bring their own unique culture with them.
In a new series from The Athletic, The Language of Soccer, we have spoken to supporters of every team, with the aim of capturing each country’s unique fan and football culture, as told through their voices.We asked the fans (who will be a feature of our coverage throughout the tournament, bringing local knowledge and insight) to come up with a single phrase that best encapsulates the experience of being a supporter of their national team. We then put the suggested phrases to a vote, using supporters’ groups and networks to gauge the opinions of as many fans as possible. The winning phrase is the one you will see at the top of each article, and around which each country’s story is framed.This exploration of each nation’s rich and diverse football culture and traditions touches music, food, history, language, psychology and much more.Our series begins in Group A, with the stories of Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic, and we will be publishing all 48 articles in the lead-up to the World Cup.This is The Language of Soccer. We hope you enjoy it.The Language of Soccer series is sponsored by Google.The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
