David Goldblatt Sees the World Cup Future

The author of 'The Ball Is Round' dives into the political and social context of the 2026 tournament in the United States.

Mar 28, 2026

a crowd of people standing in front of a building — Alvaro Palacios / Unsplash

It’s the international break, and thank the football deities for that. They’ve cursed me otherwise, and after another Arsenal cup final defeat I’m ready for two weeks off from the club game. It’s a chance to take a deep breath before the run-in and the massive summer of World Cup 2026, and a good time to take stock of the international game, its governance, and the social context in which the United States will host the tournament. Or should you just go to Mexico?

That’s what David Goldblatt and I wonder in this week’s episode as the podcast returns with a vengeance. The English sports writer, broadcaster, sociologist, and journalist is the author of many books, including The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football and Injury Time: Football in a State of Emergency. He’s also teaching some masterclasses ahead of the tournament this summer in partnership with Equator magazine. Find out more about his seminar here.

We also got into FIFA, Brazil and England’s designs on the trophy, the suppression of a different side of America that could have shone on the world stage at this tournament, and whether the U.S. will be the first host nation to be at war with one of its World Cup guests: