{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"437: World Cup History &amp; What's Ahead - With Clemente Lisi","description":"       This week, we dive into the remarkable history \u2014 and uncertain future \u2014 of soccer\u2019s greatest spectacle: the FIFA World Cup. Our guest is veteran journalist and soccer author Clemente Lisi, whose newly updated (and eminently essential!) book, &quot;The World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition,&quot; chronicles the tournament\u2019s extraordinary evolution from its modest beginnings in 1930 to the globe-spanning mega-event it is today.&amp;nbsp; Drawing on decades of reporting and interviews, Lisi revisits some of the competition\u2019s most iconic matches, legendary players, and defining moments \u2014 from Pel\u00e9 and Diego Maradona to the modern era of global superstars \u2014 that helped transform the World Cup into the most widely watched sporting event on the planet. But the conversation doesn\u2019t stop with history. With the 2026 edition&amp;nbsp;\u2014 expanded to 48 teams for the first time \u2014 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 \u2014 or expose the growing tensions between the sport\u2019s 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\u2019s most thoughtful chroniclers.    + + +&amp;nbsp;     &amp;nbsp;  SUPPORT THE SHOW:     Buy Us a Coffee:  https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/goodseatsstillavailable    The &quot;Good Seats&quot; Store:  http:\/\/tee.pub\/lic\/RdiDZzQeHSY   BUY THE BOOK:&amp;nbsp;    &quot;The World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition&quot;:&amp;nbsp;https:\/\/amzn.to\/47LYKsV     SPONSOR THANKS:&amp;nbsp;      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\/       ","author_name":"Good Seats Still Available","author_url":"https:\/\/goodseatsstillavailable.com","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/40484575\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/aa0926\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/199714915"}