World Cup fever A soccer journey in nine tournaments

This unique blend of reportage and memoir from journalist Kuper (Soccernomics) documents the impact and history of the FIFA World Cup. Having attended every World Cup since 1990, Kuper traces the international soccer tournament as it grew into a massive global spectacle, arguing along the way that "World Cups don't change the world, but they do illuminate it." The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 under the direction of FIFA president Jules Rimet, who wanted to create a standalone international tournament for professional players. Kuper's coverage of World Cups in Italy, France, Japan, South Korea, and Germany in the 1990s and early 2000s mixes game recaps with personal observations, including that "in nine World Cups, I still haven't seen a single act of fan violence." Elsewhere, he presents a deep history of soccer in South Africa, where his family is from, contending that the 2010 World Cup, which was held there, highlighted a white version of South Africa instead of the Black community "where the country's football culture originated." Moving to more recent tournaments, Kuper details evidence that Russia and Qatar bribed FIFA Executive Committee members to host the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Throughout, Kuper blends scrupulous reportage with evocative reflections ("a national team was the nation made flesh"). Soccer fans will be enthralled. (Mar.)

Kuper (Impossible City: Paris in the 21st Century) provides an in-depth and personal chronicle of the world's most followed sporting event--the World Cup. He draws on more than three decades of firsthand reporting, having covered every World Cup tournament since 1990. Part memoir and part cultural history, the book uses the World Cup as a lens to examine politics, globalization, technology, and identity. It opens with Kuper's youthful pilgrimage to Italy for the 1990 World Cup, after scoring a ticket from a friend. From there, he traces--as both a journalist and observer--soccer's evolution from a semi-parochial pastime to a multibillion-dollar global entertainment industry. Kuper searches for "the heart of soccer," those moments of joy and connection that the World Cup continues to inspire. It's a difficult task, as recent tournaments have become an uneasy mix of wealth, exploitation, and spectacle. Kuper blends history and humor in telling the story of the World Cup. He reflects on interviews and encounters with soccer icons, journalists, fans, and others whom he meets along the way. VERDICT This book is a perfect companion to the 2026 World Cup, which Canada, the U.S., and Mexico will host. Highly recommended for anyone interested in "the world's game."--Gary Medina