• Steven Friedman

One of the weirder displays of Pan-Africanism descended on Johannesburg’s Soccer City on the evening of July 2, 2010.

• Alex Hochuli

Brazilians have a complicated relationship to the Seleção, clouded by political crises, the parliamentary coup and the decline of a national style.

• Sean Henry Jacobs
• Sebastian Abbot

Two of Africa's standout talents at Russia 2018--Moussa Wague and Francis Uzoho--were shaped by a football academy in Qatar. A new book tells that story.

• Matthew J. Smith

In Jamaica, which is always in need of healthy distraction, football is king and everyone at heart is a Brazilian.

• Todd Cleveland

Watching the World Cup in Finland and Estonia. Sample: "Finns just aren’t very good at, nor are they voracious consumers of the game." As for Estonians, read on.

• Grégory Pierrot

When Germany played Brazil in the 2002 World Cup final, who would French fans in Paris root for?

• Vik Sohonie

Most national teams have 12 starting players — 11 on the field, and their fans in the stands. Brazil’s has a 13th player: Haitains.

• Ron Krabill
• Danny Hoffman

Collecting football stories that highlight the world – the African world, in this case – and making the Seattle game global in the process.

• Jesica Paola Kessler

Argentina crashed out of the 2018 World Cup. It's not Messi's fault.

• Will Youmans

The author relives his greatest World Cup moment.

• Davy Lane

Despite what happened at the 2010 World Cup, Africans have more in common with Uruguayans.

• Simon Adetona Akindes

Even VAR could not save the Africans who withered away in the first round of Russia 2018.

• Laurent Dubois

For a long time most football fans experienced the game via the radio, making broadcasters cult figures. Like Allou Ndiaye in 1950s Senegal.

• Grégory Pierrot

If the French now have regular, public discussions about race, we have to thank black members of its men's national football team.

• Keith Hamusute

In 1994, Zambia was on the cusp of qualifying for the World Cup. After a tragedy wiped out the national team it lost to bad refereeing.

• Ndeye Debo Seck

Ndeye Debo Seck has lost interest in local club football in Senegal. It has a lot to do with how the local game is administered.

• Norbert Odero

A Kenyan football fan reflects on a lifetime of World Cup finals.

• Steven Friedman

The reason why African teams struggle in the World Cup has everything to do with colonialism.

• Sebastian Abbot

When African football officials stop being corrupt and identify and develop young talent, an African nation would have a real chance of winning the World Cup.

• Laurent Dubois

The Senegalese football jersey is a powerful symbol of nationhood and independence.