The World Cup was supposed to bring world peace
Jun 04, 2026•52 min
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Episode description
World Cup tickets are going for as high as $45,000. Not in most of our budgets. How did things get so out of hand when the tournament's founder intended to bridge class divides? Today on the show, the origins of the World Cup, from World War I to Mussolini’s fascist Italy, and how it grew into the multibillion-dollar spectacle the world is gearing up to watch.
Guests:
Jonathan Wilson, columnist at The Guardian and author of The Power and the Glory: A New History of the World Cup
Simon Kuper, columnist at the Financial Times and author of World Cup Fever
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Guests:
Jonathan Wilson, columnist at The Guardian and author of The Power and the Glory: A New History of the World Cup
Simon Kuper, columnist at the Financial Times and author of World Cup Fever
Support shows like Throughline with NPR+. Sign up today at plus.npr.org
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
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