The People's Game

On today's show we check in with our co-host and co-producer Fernando Romero, who traveled from Mexico City (where he was for the opening game of the World Cup) to Guadalajara to catch El Tri's second game in a country absolutely riveted by every dropped ball by a South Korean goaltender, and by a team that is now the first to win its group and advance to the second round.Next, we'll hear from emeritus sports historian Bob Edelman, who puts the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup into a broader historical and sociological context.One of the treats we have on The People's Game is we hear from prominent progressive politicians. Alan speaks with former Congressman Jamaal Bowman as he relates the largest of all global sports spectacles to the euphoria that gripped his hometown in New York City when the Knicks won their first title in 50 years. Finally, Alan and Mel wrap with some observations on the politics of the game and the politics of the world as it relates to the global game. (originally aired on June 19, 2026)

(This episode was produced for Jacobin Radio on June 14, 2026.)In this episode, Alan and Mel reflect on the challenges - and surprises - of the World Cup tournament's first week of group games, including the scope of the spectacle, the tactics on the field, and the politics off the pitch. Fernando Romero reports back from a memorable World Cup debut match at Estadio Azteca and the Zocalo; and with Thomas Hanna, we give our predictions for five important questions, to be answered by history itself.

The People's Game⁠ is back for World Cup 2026! On the eve of the World Cup, co-hosts Alan Minsky, Mel Figueroa, and Fernando Romero talk about, well, *everything* going on in the world; and how surreal it feels to be passionate fans of this beloved global event at a time when the political circumstances in our host country are so fraught and dire for so many people inside and outside U.S. borders. But Fernando is on his way to Mexico City to enjoy the opening game and the first games in all three World Cup cities in Mexico, and we are excited for him and to hear how the beautiful game is received in its original home. We also share our picks for which best up-and-coming players to watch in this tournament, the nations that we think will surprise and disappoint this year, and the political issues and causes we think (and hope) might come to the fore in this global spectacle. We then speak to Thomas Hanna from the Democracy Collaborative, a longtime fan and player, about the problems -- and potential -- for the people's game as a vehicle for democracy rather can capitalism; including the growing movement for fan ownership of our favorite clubs.

The World Cup final is over, and Argentina are the World Cup Champions!!!!After 80 minutes of what looked like a rout for Argentina, France suddenly came to life with a stunning brace from Mbappe, who tied it 2-2 in just 97 seconds, sending the game into a breathtaking extra time period that brought it to 3-3 and penalties. When the dust cleared, Argentina emerged victorious in what was arguably the greatest World Cup final of all time. It was a stunning win, Argentina's third and only win since 1986, that also crowned Lionel Messi with a long-sought World Cup title and what many consider to the mantle of GOAT - Greatest Of All Time.Fernando Orozco joins Alan Minsky and Mel Figueroa for a final recap of this mind-boggling match and the reaction of fans, commentators, and the masses of people all over the world. We discuss the inevitable comparisons between Messi and Maradona, the third-place match between Croatia and Morocco, the present and future of the new golden generations that may emerge from this tournament, and our thoughts on the political implications of the World Cup in Qatar, North America in 2026, and beyond. As FIFA's increasingly brazen corruption continues to cast a cloud over the beautiful game, we look to the work ahead and the possibilities to reclaim global football for the people, to use this unique and impactful global platform to claim the spectacle and make it truly The People's Game.

On the eve of the much-anticipated World Cup final, Laurent Dubois joins us once again, this time from Dakar, Senegal where he watched the France-Morocco semifinal and will watch the France-Argentina final on Sunday. We explore the deep quotidian connections between French and African societies and football fandom, Senegal's performance sans Mane, France's current reign at the top of the game, what it was like to watch the historic match between France and Morocco in Senegal, and, of course, his thoughts on prospects for the final.

We are nearing the end of this year's World Cup quest, and the lineup for the final is set: France goes up against Argentina this Sunday for the main prize of the tournament, and a chance at a very rare twice-in-a-row world championship, last achieved by Brazil in 1962. Today's match, however, also contained a tremendous victory in and of itself, in the ascendancy of Morocco, the first African team to reach the semifinals of the World Cup in an astounding tournament run that captured the hearts, minds, and imaginations of billions of people in Africa, the Middle East, and all around the world. In this remarkable postcolonial derby against France, a team itself made up of mostly African and Arab migrants, Morocco broke the inferiority complex that has dogged underdog teams from the Global South, as well as the patronizing colonial gaze that limits the imagination in both the global core and periphery. Dominant in the second half, never breaking, pushing through injuries and battling until the final whistle, Morocco, even in defeat, expanded the horizons of possibility for oppressed and colonized peoples everywhere, and for that they have secured their place in World Cup history, and the world is forever grateful.Lilian Thuram, the French football legend whose son Marcus Thuram's performance for France helped clinch today's victory, said in his recent book White Thinking that "we all engage with the past through the prism of extremely powerful historical and cultural forces that have shaped us in different ways," and that breaking down the colonial mindset in all of us, with an understanding of history, "can provide us with the tools to construct a shared future." Today's game between France and Morocco, with all the historical and cultural layers underlying it, has, in the words of Laurent Dubois, offered "a different way of seeing movement: not as a danger, but as possibility and freedom that makes something beautiful in the world."Alan and Mel salute Morocco, analyze the nuances of today's exciting match, and cast our lots on opposite sides of Sunday's final showdown: will the Cup secure a generational legacy for French football, or come home to the Church of Maradona in a long-sought moment of glory for Messi and Argentina? Sunday's magisterial final will show what Fate has in store for the World Cup in 2022.