Should you boycott the World Cup? – The Latest
From Today in Focus by The Guardian
June 12, 2026 · 13 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the controversies surrounding the World Cup, including issues of refereeing and political connections.
The football’s only just kicked off, but this World Cup has already seen its fair share of controversy. With a Somali referee barred from entering the US, Fifa president Gianni Infantino cosying up to Donald Trump and accusations of price gouging and cash grabbing, fans have been left with mixed emotions about the tournament. Annie Kelly speaks to the sportswriter and columnist Jonathan Liew. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
People in this episode
Host: Annie Kelly
Guest: Jonathan Liew
Topics covered
- World Cup
- controversy
- sports journalism
- refereeing
- price gouging
- fan emotions
Keywords
- World Cup
- controversy
- Gianni Infantino
- Donald Trump
- price gouging
- referee
- sportswriter
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Fifa
Places: US
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