World Cup’s Political Past: New Podcast Explores Soccer’s Dark History
Part of composite article World Cup 2026 Kicks Off: 48 Teams, 3 Nations, 39 Days of Chaos and Cash View full article →
Former US soccer player Merritt Mathias joins journalists Musa Okwonga and Julio Ricardo Varela for a new podcast that examines how global powers have used the World Cup for political gain. The show, described as “football/soccer time-traveling,” begins with this year’s tournament before diving into the 1934 World Cup in Mussolini’s Italy—a tournament Uruguay boycotted. The podcast is available on YouTube and Spotify, with new episodes weekly.