When FIFA picked the U.S. to co-host the 2026 World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada, Americans saw it as more than just a boon for the country’s tourism industry — it was a chance to finally prove to the world that the U.S. is a soccer-loving nation. But on the eve of kickoff, the tournament has been overshadowed by exorbitant ticket prices, disappointing global travel projections, the war in Iran, and uncertainty about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement plans at stadiums. Kara breaks it all down with three experts: Rachel Bachman, senior sports reporter for The Wall Street Journal; Will Leitch, a contributing editor at New York Magazine and the founder of the seminal sports blog Deadspin; and Tariq Panja, a global correspondent at The New York Times who focuses on where money, geopolitics and crime intersect with sports. The four of them talk about the stakes for FIFA’s biggest World Cup and whether the soccer on the field can outshine the controversies surrounding it. Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected] or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.