The People's Game with Anders Kelto

Argentina is home to some of the most passionate soccer fans in the world. But the 2026 World Cup is the most expensive tournament in history, and many Argentinian fans are struggling to afford it. Tariq Panja of The New York Times went to Buenos Aires to speak with fans about the financial sacrifices they're making -- including one guy who is flying to Kansas City over the course of FIVE days to save money. Tariq joins The People's Game to talk about theses fans, and who it seems the World Cup is really for.

U.S. Men's National Team midfielder and Seattle Sounders star Cristian Roldan grew up in Pico Rivera, a working class town just east of Los Angeles. He didn't play for a fancy club soccer team. He didn't pay for elite private training. And he almost went undiscovered because of it. Now, he's an MLS All-Star and is on the verge of making his second straight World Cup roster. Cristian and his former college coach, Jamie Clark, join the show to tell the story of Cristian's remarkable last-minute discovery, and to reflect on how many more kids like him are slipping through the cracks. Plus, we hear about potential plans to resurrect an Adidas commercial that Cristian starred in as a 9-year-old.