Why Everyone Cares About This World Cup

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<p>Two weeks into the World Cup soccer tournament, it has already broken records. It has had its highest attendance ever, and generated the most goals scored in history.</p> <p>But one of the biggest stories of the tournament is happening off the field as a wave of international visitors encounter America, and Americans encounter them.</p> <p>Tariq Panja, a global sports correspondent at The New York Times, explains the magic and the complexity of this moment.</p> <p>Then, Anna Foley, a producer for “The Daily,” talks to two lifelong fans of the Iranian team who discuss the complexity of national pride in the middle of war.</p> <p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/tariq-panja" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Tariq Panja</strong></a>, a global sports correspondent at The New York Times.</p> <p>Background reading: </p> <ul> <li>Iran’s team was eliminated over the weekend, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/28/us/iran-eliminated-world-cup.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ending a politically charged odyssey</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/us/boston-scotland-soccer-tartan-army.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scottish fans in Boston</a> charmed the locals.</li> </ul> <p>Photo: Kirby Lee/Imagn Images, via Reuters</p> <p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>nytimes.com/thedaily</strong></a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>