About this episode
The episode covers the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup in Mexico and the atmosphere surrounding the event, along with the story of a Somali referee denied entry to the U.S.
Soccer’s biggest event is officially underway as the 2026 World Cup kicked off in Mexico. The games will be played in Canada and the U.S. as well, but we go to Mexico City, the capital of the most soccer-obsessed host country, to hear about the jubilant atmosphere. And a Somali referee who was set to make history officiating the World Cup was denied entry to the U.S. He returned to Mogadishu to a hero’s welcome. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
Topics covered
- World Cup
- soccer
- Mexico
- referee
- sports culture
Keywords
- World Cup
- soccer
- Mexico City
- referee
- Mogadishu
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Mexico, Canada, U.S., Mexico City, Mogadishu
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