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2026.06.13 19:11 GMT+8

World Cup 2026: Football, power and the price of the Beautiful Game

Updated 2026.06.13 19:11 GMT+8
The Agenda

The 23rd FIFA World Cup has now kicked off in North America.

The largest in history, this year's tournament will see 48 teams play 104 games across the United States, Canada and Mexico before the winner is crowned on July 19.

But as geopolitical tensions reshape trade, media and technology, and concerns mount over visas, ticket prices and transport costs, what will the tournament tell us about football's position on the global stage?

Joining Juliet Mann on this edition of The Agenda are Professor of Afro-Eurasian Sport Simon Chadwick, sports writer and sociologist David Goldblatt, and Kieran Maguire, author of The Price of Football.

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