Should There be an Asterisk on the MAGA World Cup?
About this episode
The episode discusses the complexities and political issues surrounding the 2026 World Cup with journalist Grace Robertson.
Should there be an asterisk on this men’s World Cup? Priyansh and Derek sit down with football journalist Grace Robertson to discuss complexities of the 2026 World Cup, widespread political issues and hypocrisies, technological changes like VAR, and the evolving tactics of international football. Grace Robertson writes the much-acclaimed newsletter, Grace on Football , on Substack. Beyond her own newsletter, Grace's writings on football have appeared in Vanity Fair, Eurosport, StatsBomb and elsewhere. Chapters 01:59 Challenges of writing about politics and football 04:04 Is this an asterisk World Cup? Historical context 05:50 Precedents of controversial decisions in FIFA history 08:13 VAR's journey and its impact on the game 11:03 The interventionist nature of VAR in this World Cup 13:11 Water breaks and game pacing 15:48 Goals per game and tactical evolution 18:53 Positional play vs. relational tactics 21:09 Managerial power in international vs. club football 23:59 Player influence and public perception 37:08 Discourse on trans rights and politics in football 47:55 Football's role in social and political issues 53:55 Reflections on the 2026 World Cup and its significance…
More episodes of The End of Sport
- OLF #15 - Wrapping The MAGA World Cup, Selling Pitch Turf, and Pete Hegseth’s Fascism
- Football Deserves Better Than FIFA with David Goldblatt
- Morocco at the MAGA World Cup!
- What Explains Brazil's Football Decline?
- OLF #14 - Corrupt FIFA, SCOTUS Bigotry, Sexual Violence & the World Cup
- Resisting the Fascist World Cup
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