It's a grotesque festival of consumerism and corruption, with echoes of the 1936 Olympics — and it's here
commentary
It's a grotesque festival of consumerism and corruption, with echoes of the 1936 Olympics — and it's here
Executive Editor
Published
June 11, 2026 12:00PM (EDT)
There is a beauty and an ugliness in how the politics becomes background noise to action on the pitch
The 2026 World Cup is already proving to be one of the most controversial tournaments yet - from water bottle rules and hiked-up…
Price gouging, sweltering heat, and a healthy dose of Trump. What’s not to love?
Forecasts of disaster at this tournament were, it appears, exaggerated. Players and fans have been largely able to travel…
From travel bans to red card reversals, the World Cup has played out under a cloud of US power and political interference
FIFA president Gianni Infantino's closeness with deeply polarizing U.S. president could have ramifications for 2026 World Cup.
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Everything wrong with the 2026 World Cup
What is wrong with the 2026 World Cup
Trump's World Cup has turned the beautiful game ugly
Politics, tickets and heat - the controversies that could derail the World Cup
The Debate - Trump's World Cup: More matches, higher prices, fewer foreigners
Trump promotes 2026 World Cup amid visa chaos, airport detentions, and global backlash
Fifa World Cup 2026: Everything going wrong so far
