Football
What the 2026 World Cup Left Behind
A summer of football across North America is over. Host cities are now working out what comes next.
Issue 214
Reading the week closely: culture, food, ideas and the wider world.
Sports Editor
Theo has covered five World Cups and still prefers a wet Tuesday night at a non-league ground.
10 stories
A summer of football across North America is over. Host cities are now working out what comes next.
2 min read
Record crowds have become routine, and clubs are finally moving big matches to their biggest grounds.
2 min read
Tactical shifts have turned the man between the posts into a team's first playmaker.
2 min read
Supporter-run clubs are growing in number. Fans explain how it works, and where it gets hard.
2 min read