437: World Cup History & What's Ahead - With Clemente Lisi

This week, we dive into the remarkable history — and uncertain future — of soccer's greatest spectacle: the FIFA World Cup. Our guest is veteran journalist and soccer author Clemente Lisi, whose newly updated (and eminently essential!) book, "The World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition," chronicles the tournament's extraordinary evolution from its modest beginnings in 1930 to the globe-spanning mega-event it is today.  Drawing on decades of reporting and interviews, Lisi revisits some of the competition's most iconic matches, legendary players, and defining moments — from Pelé and Diego Maradona to the modern era of global superstars — that helped transform the World Cup into the most widely watched sporting event on the planet. But the conversation doesn't stop with history. With the 2026 edition — expanded to 48 teams for the first time — set to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, we also explore whether the tournament could face unexpected headwinds. Sky-high ticket prices have already sparked backlash from fans and even US lawmakers -- while debates over immigration policy, visa access for international supporters, and rising infrastructure costs for host cities could complicate what should be a global celebration. Will the largest World Cup ever staged ignite a new era for soccer in North America — or expose the growing tensions between the sport's worldwide popularity and the economics of modern mega-events? We explore the past, present, and future scenarios of the World Cup in a wide-ranging conversation with one of the sport's most thoughtful chroniclers. + + +    SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable The "Good Seats" Store: http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY BUY THE BOOK:  "The World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition": https://amzn.to/47LYKsV SPONSOR THANKS:  Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats FIND AND FOLLOW: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/GoodSeatsStillAvailable Web: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/good-seats-still-available/