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In just 13 days’ time, the FIFA World Cup will officially kick off at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
Borrowing from the great Dutch teams of the 1970s, The Conversation has taken a “total football” approach to coverage, looking at the tournament from a variety of angles and disciplines. For example, we asked a physicist who has examined every World Cup ball of the last two decades to walk us through the aerodynamics of the 2026 model. Similarly, the scientists who helped design the turf on which players will be booting that ball talked us through what
growing (and transporting) the grass involved. My colleagues in Africa have been looking at what an expanded roster of teams in this tournament means for the continent; while The Conversation Brazil dived into the nation’s obsession with soccer betting. We have likewise fixed our eyes on the economic, health and political implications of the tournament.
But what should we expect once the ref blows his first whistle on June 11? Cesar R. Torres, who studies the ethics and aesthetics of soccer, has some encouraging words. He explains how the 1994 tournament – the last time it was held in North America – marked the beginning of a new, more entertaining style of play. He predicts that on its return to the continent, the beautiful game will be even more beautiful than ever.
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Matt Williams
Senior International Editor – New York
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Italian forward Roberto Baggio misses during the 1994 World Cup final, but the tournament itself was a hit.
Picture Alliance via Getty Images
Cesar R. Torres, Penn State
Global soccer was in the doldrums in the early 1990s – with poor ethics and boring defensive tactics. Then FIFA set about changing the game.
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David Nemer, University of Virginia
Betting has turned passion into a transaction, with poor families in Brazil and elsewhere spending money that could have gone to food, transport, diapers, electricity, or rent
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Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu, Stephen F. Austin State University
Africa is finally ready to disrupt the global football status quo.
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John N. Trey Rogers, Michigan State University; Jackie Lyn A. Guevara, Michigan State University; John Sorochan, University of Tennessee; Ryan Bearss, Michigan State University
The new playing fields are rolling out in stadiums from Mexico to Canada. Creating the perfect pitch in very different climates requires the right grasses and some creative tricks.
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John Eric Goff, University of Puget Sound
For two decades, researchers have studied soccer ball aerodynamics. Latest tests suggest the 2026 ball is more stable, but with a slightly shorter range.
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Hamideh Khaleghi Mohammadi, University of Sydney; Ali Abbasi, University of Sydney
The provocative images in the most visible parts of Tehran are intended to be photographed, posted and shared widely on social media.
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Anna Rowlands, Durham University
I knew this text would not be welcomed by all. And that’s OK.
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Daryl Lim, Penn State
When AI is used to manufacture fake endorsements, copyright law doesn’t do enough to protect celebrities, influencers and other public figures.
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Czeslaw Tubilewicz, Adelaide University
A parade of global leaders through Beijing is good for optics. But this visibility does not necessarily translate into global leadership.
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Michelle Burgis-Kasthala, La Trobe University
Trump’s demand other countries sign the accords has been met with silence, which shows how far this is from becoming reality.
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Andrew King, The University of Melbourne
Removing the worst-case climate future for Earth isn’t failed science, as climate sceptic Donald Trump claims. It’s a sign climate action has made a difference.
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Kelly Richards, Queensland University of Technology; Emma Hussey, Queensland University of Technology
A study of almost 700 perpetrators from across the world sheds light on why some men sexually abuse children.
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