/soccer-edition Soccer Edition: SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ä± and the NPR network's coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The World Cup, beyond the scores. en-US SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ä± Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:06:18 GMT /npr-breaking-news/2026-07-01/americans-are-showing-up-for-the-world-cup-in-record-breaking-numbers While the U.S. isn't a bona fide soccer nation yet, the past three weeks have perhaps shown what it would feel like if it were. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:06:18 GMT /npr-breaking-news/2026-07-01/americans-are-showing-up-for-the-world-cup-in-record-breaking-numbers Juliana Kim /sports/2026-07-01/the-u-s-defeats-bosnia-herzegovina-2-0-in-world-cup-knockout-round The Americans had been heavy favorites to top the Bosnians, but the game became a nailbiter in the second half when a red card on U.S. striker Folarin Balogun set the U.S. on their heels. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:23:00 GMT /sports/2026-07-01/the-u-s-defeats-bosnia-herzegovina-2-0-in-world-cup-knockout-round Becky Sullivan /npr-breaking-news/2026-07-01/world-cups-knockout-rounds-collide-with-a-massive-heat-wave A major heat wave is affecting much of the eastern half of the United States this week, bringing dangerous conditions to multiple World Cup matches. Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:00:00 GMT /npr-breaking-news/2026-07-01/world-cups-knockout-rounds-collide-with-a-massive-heat-wave Rebecca Hersher /sports/2026-06-30/pay-to-play-u-s-youth-soccer-has-an-access-problem-can-the-world-cup-help U.S. youth soccer has long been dominated by an affluent, suburban "pay-to-play" system that critics say limits player development compared to other countries — and which they hope the World Cup helps change. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT /sports/2026-06-30/pay-to-play-u-s-youth-soccer-has-an-access-problem-can-the-world-cup-help Tim Padgett /sports/2026-06-29/our-favorite-off-the-pitch-moments-from-the-world-cup-group-stage The list of World Cup controversies had many feeling pretty cynical before the tournament. But the moments of comradery and celebration among fans and teams have made the challenges easy to forget. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 22:04:57 GMT /sports/2026-06-29/our-favorite-off-the-pitch-moments-from-the-world-cup-group-stage Nik DeCosta-Klipa /npr-breaking-news/2026-06-29/3-world-cup-rivals-find-common-ground-in-a-cross-border-beer A trio of craft breweries from the global soccer event's three host nations are using the tournament to brew something increasingly rare: cross-border solidarity. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT /npr-breaking-news/2026-06-29/3-world-cup-rivals-find-common-ground-in-a-cross-border-beer Chloe Veltman /npr-breaking-news/2026-06-28/on-to-the-knockout-round-4-takeaways-from-the-fifa-world-cup-so-far The anxieties before the World Cup were many. But with the knockout round set to begin Sunday, it's fair to say: The North American World Cup has been a thrill. Sun, 28 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT /npr-breaking-news/2026-06-28/on-to-the-knockout-round-4-takeaways-from-the-fifa-world-cup-so-far Becky Sullivan /sports/2026-06-26/world-cup-fans-are-missing-games-after-their-resale-tickets-fall-through The ordeal has left fans forced to either miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or scramble to find new tickets, often costing more and for worse seats. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:13:47 GMT /sports/2026-06-26/world-cup-fans-are-missing-games-after-their-resale-tickets-fall-through Juliana Kim /south-florida/2026-06-26/portugal-world-cup-miami-ronaldo Portugal faces off against an undefeated Colombia team on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium for one of the World Cup's most anticipated matches. For Portugal fans in Miami, the stakes feel especially high: this is the last World Cup for renowned soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo. Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT /south-florida/2026-06-26/portugal-world-cup-miami-ronaldo Amara Evering /law-justice/2026-06-25/how-law-enforcement-is-fighting-human-trafficking-during-the-fifa-world-cup During an international event like the FIFA World Cup where people are travelling and celebrating far from home– federal, state, and local law enforcement are ramping up measures to identify and prevent human trafficking. Public awareness and education is a huge factor. Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT /law-justice/2026-06-25/how-law-enforcement-is-fighting-human-trafficking-during-the-fifa-world-cup Sofia Zarran /sports/2026-06-23/miami-scotland-tartan-army-world-cup Ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup match at Miami Stadium against Brazil, Scotland’s supporters — the Tartan Army — made their presence known at Loan Depot Park Monday night. Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:15:00 GMT /sports/2026-06-23/miami-scotland-tartan-army-world-cup Carlton Gillespie /sports/2026-06-22/lionel-messi-breaks-world-cup-scoring-record-with-his-17th-and-18th-goals-in-argentina-win Lionel Messi now has the World Cup scoring record with 18 goals in his career after scoring twice in a 2-0 victory over Austria. He scored in the 38th minute and again in stoppage time after missing a penalty kick in the ninth minute. Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:33:00 GMT /sports/2026-06-22/lionel-messi-breaks-world-cup-scoring-record-with-his-17th-and-18th-goals-in-argentina-win Associated Press