Sports: The Grassy, Gory Glory Of World Cup 2026
1A
NPR
4.3 • 4.5K Ratings
🗓️ 10 June 2026
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The men’s World Cup returns to North America for the first time in 32 years. And fans from all over the world are descending on cities like Dallas, Toronto, and Monterrey, hoping to watch their nations find glory.
But it’s not all grass and glamour. The run-up to this tournament has been plagued by issues around ticket pricing, transportation costs, threats of immigration enforcement, and the consequences of geopolitical conflict.
What does it all mean for the action on the field?
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Where's ball towards McKenny? |
| 0:09.7 | We're continuing the run down the right side. |
| 0:12.5 | Options in the middle. |
| 0:13.4 | Balagan is one of them. |
| 0:14.3 | It's Balagan. |
| 0:19.4 | Balagan gets his goal. |
| 0:22.1 | That was U.S. men's national team forward, Fuller and Balligan scoring the winning goal against Senegal in a friendly match that took place on May 31st. |
| 0:31.8 | Both teams were preparing to play on the biggest stage in international football. |
| 0:35.6 | But for the U.S., the pressure was on just a little bit more. |
| 0:39.5 | That's because the biggest sports tournament in the world is returning to North America for the |
| 0:44.2 | first time in 32 years, and the soccer, or football, as most call it, frenzy, is gripping fans. |
| 0:50.3 | The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially begins tomorrow as Mexico takes on South Africa and the |
| 0:56.7 | tournament's opening match. This year's three host nations are Canada, the United States, and Mexico. |
| 1:02.0 | But it's not all flags and fervor. Like any international event, this competition has been a challenge. |
| 1:08.3 | Ticket prices, transportation costs, and geopolitical conflicts |
| 1:12.4 | have frustrated fans and foreign soccer federations alike. I'm Jen White. You're listening to the |
| 1:17.9 | 1A podcast. Today, what does World Cup 2026 in all its gory, grassy glory have in store? |
| 1:24.9 | We'll get the answers to that question and more after this short break. Stay with us. |
| 1:33.8 | Welcome back to the 1A podcast. Let's kick off our conversation about the 2026 World Cup and meet our |
| 1:39.5 | guests. Joining us from Los Angeles is Jeff Ruder. He's the Guardian's soccer correspondent. Jeff, welcome to 1A. |
| 1:46.4 | Thank you for having me. Also with us is Kavitha Davidson. She's a sports journalist and the co-author of Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back, Dilemmas of the Modern fan. Cavita, welcome back to the program. Thanks for having me on. |
| 1:58.7 | And we want to hear from you, what are your favorite World Cup memories? |
... |
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