Show Notes

The World Cup is more than a soccer tournament — it's a mirror for geopolitics, national identity, and the power of global fandom. In this episode of Unpacked, host Aislyn Greene sits down with British journalist Jonathan Wilson, author of The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup, to explore the drama, corruption, and beauty that have defined the tournament across a century.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How hosting the World Cup has evolved from a nation-building tool to its current complex state — and who benefits now.
What the expansion from 32 to 48 teams really means for the quality and spectacle of the game.
Which teams Jonathan is watching in 2026, and the dark-horse picks you might not have on your radar.

Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome to the World Cup Edition
00:01:30 Jonathan's Soccer Origin Story
00:07:30 Soccer, Politics, and Power
00:11:00 Who Actually Benefits From Hosting
00:21:30 The 2026 Expansion to 48 Teams
00:31:30 Teams to Watch in 2026
00:35:30 Stadiums With Stories

Meet this week's guest:

Jonathan Wilson, British sports journalist and author of The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup

Resources:

Explore Jonathan Wilson's books and writing on his website.
Read The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup for the full sweep of FIFA history and drama.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠Behind the Mic⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us, and ⁠⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠⁠, where we spotlight the people and ideas shaping the future of travel.

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Drama, Geopolitics, and Glory: Inside the World Cup