I spent four months in the company of #Millwall captain Jake Cooper It was an eventful period that ended with a painful defeat in the playoffs this week This tells the story of that time and what life looks like for an EFL footballer (Free to read) nytimes.com/athletic/7272721…

#FIFAWorldCup, ARE YOU READY?! 🧡 #NothingLikeOranje #NEDJPN

‘Whatever happens, we’re going to party, man’ Loved chatting to Curaçao supporters ahead of their first-ever World Cup appearance They face Germany today as the smallest nation ever to reach the tournament 🇨🇼 #WorldCup2026 nytimes.com/athletic/7130472…

Back in April, Coca-Cola announced Cole Palmer as a football brand ambassador, trumpeting that the multi-year partnership would see "dynamic ice-cool player Palmer" at the forefront of their promotions across the Premier League "and FIFA World Cup 2026”. But then the Chelsea forward missed out on selection for Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup. So what does that mean for his link up with Coca-Cola, as well as his other sponsorship deals? And how difficult are situations like this for big brands to navigate? 📝 @TBurrows16 nytimes.com/athletic/7354280…

Just two months ago, Coca-Cola signed Cole Palmer as a 'football brand ambassador' A month later, he was left out of England's WC squad What does that mean for his partnership with Coca-Cola ( his other deals)? I spoke to industry experts to find out nytimes.com/athletic/7354280…

🎶For Bosnia i will give my life, my heart, my soul, everything that i have. For Bosnia i will cheer!🎶 BH Fanaticos. 🎥: Vijesti.ba #FIFAWorldCup #CANBIH🇨🇦🇧🇦

RT @Dan_Sheldon_: 🚨 Exclusive: Thomas Partey is unavailable to play in Ghana’s opening World Cup match against Panama in Canada on June 17…

The 2026 World Cup: so much to dislike/deplore, so much to look forward to — as was the case in Qatar and Russia. If you feel conflicted, you're not the only one. But unless the horribly bloated format kills it, the football will still be a joy to behold nytimes.com/athletic/7349073…

The World Cup is here! @TheAthleticFC has comprehensively profiled the legends, the superstars, the key players, the rising stars, the unsung heroes. Playing style charts, data, back stories, name pronunciations - it has it all. Bookmark this one. nytimes.com/athletic/interac…

From @TheAthleticFC: These are the best players at the 2026 World Cup. Some are household names — yes, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are here — but plenty are not. This guide has players from all 48 nations. nyti.ms/4eza937

Welcome to Stars of Soccer, The Athletic’s World Cup player guide. Lionel Messi is here, and there’s room for Cristiano Ronaldo too. There are legends of the game, the current elite, rising stars and others who really make their teams tick. They are old and young, some at their first World Cup, some at their sixth. They are players you should enjoy this summer, and we are here to tell you all about them (and how to pronounce their names). 🔗 nytimes.com/athletic/7279880…

Crystal Palace are closing in on an agreement to appoint Lens head coach Pierre Sage as their new manager. Sage guided Lens to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 this season — six points behind Paris Saint-Germain — in his first campaign in charge as well as leading them to the Coupe de France, beating Nice in the final, for the first time in club history. Full story from @MattWoosie — free to read ⬇️ bit.ly/4exPcpe

Christian Eriksen is conscious and “doing well under the circumstances” after collapsing on the pitch during Denmark’s friendly match against Ukraine on Sunday, the Danish Football Association (DBU) has said. Full story from @Millar_Colin ⬇️ 🔗 nyti.ms/4fP5QC7

Welcome to The Athletic's team-by-team guide to all 48 countries competing at the World Cup, featuring: 🇭🇹 The manager who has never set foot in the country he leads 🇯🇵 The team that used 65 players across 13 matches in 2025 🇩🇿 The legend's son playing in goal for a different nation 🇲🇽 The country that battled back from the darkest period in its history From tactics to key players, squad selection to fascinating facts, this is everything you need to know. Free to read 🆓 bit.ly/4fvVaYJ

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗿 🇨🇼 Nos ta e Ola Blou – We are The Blue “The island will shut down when the games are on,” says Curacao supporter Brenton Balentien, known as 'Captain Blue Face'. “For us, it’s life. We are a tiny island, everyone here is like family. Accomplishing something as big as qualifying for the World Cup means the world. Besides seeing the birth of my children, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me.” Of Curacao's 155,000 population, up to 5,000 will travel to the World Cup this summer. A Blue Wave is coming to the United States. 📝 @TBurrows16 🔗 nyti.ms/4acDjCC

“Erling looks great with his hair down, but I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of the coach Stale Solbakken. He’s a tough guy.” Norway have released an iconic 'Viking' image ahead of their trip to the World Cup. @GregOK speaks to photographer David Yarrow about how it came about. 🔗 nyti.ms/4e3smEK

Exclusive @TheAthleticFC FIFA make last-gasp change to World Cup stadium rules: BANNING fans from bringing refillable plastic bottles, so fans must buy water in stadia As of May, empty bottles permitted so fans could refill amid heat concerns. Not now nytimes.com/athletic/7331461…

A cargo ship, a floodlit metal cage, 24 of the world's best players, and Eric Cantona holding court. Over three breathless, Elvis-soundtracked minutes, Nike's Secret Tournament turned a thousand playground daydreams into reality — or something like it. It was impossible to wrench your eyes away. Nearly a quarter of a century later, it still is. Here is an oral history of one of the greatest football adverts of all time, told by those who made it. 📝 @JackLang Free to read 🆓 bit.ly/4fWQbAu

Forty-eight nations, each with a distinct football culture. The fans who believe their team is cursed. The country where early adopters were ridiculed and abused. The supporters who will bring 'the whip' with them. The nation where football has united the people when all else has failed. Over recent months, The Athletic has been speaking to supporters of every team that will compete at this summer's World Cup to explore each one's rich and diverse football culture. From Algeria to Argentina, Canada to Curacao, the Netherlands to New Zealand and all other corners of the globe, this new series takes in traditions, psychology, food, history and much more. Welcome to The Language of Soccer. 🔗 bit.ly/433qJBV

They have achieved two successive promotions and will play in Ligue 1 again next season after a 16-year absence. They also count a string of famous sportspeople — Novak Djokovic, Felipe Massa, Kevin Magnussen and Thibaut Courtois — as investors. Their stadium is located inside the Circuit de la Sarthe, host of the iconic Le Mans 24-hour race, one of the showpiece events in the motor racing calendar and held every June. Welcome to Le Mans FC, the French side with lofty ambitions who have drawn similarities with Wrexham and Como 1907. 📝 @TBurrows16 🔗 nytimes.com/athletic/7317344…

Arne Slot has been sacked as Liverpool head coach. The decision has been taken by owner Fenway Sports Group after a dismal season saw Liverpool finish fifth in the Premier League with just 60 points, their lowest total for a decade. It brings to an end the Dutchman’s two-year reign since he was appointed as Jurgen Klopp’s successor in the summer of 2024. More from @JamesPearceLFC ⤵️ 🔗 bit.ly/4fgzqjE