If the United States wants international success in a game it built, maybe it should embrace the joy of the game rather than the unnecessary military pageantry, writes JAMES NALTON

Travel bans, visa refusals and political tensions have raised some serious questions about the tournament’s integrity, writes JAMES NALTON

As the 2026 tournament approaches, Fifa’s World Cup hosting controversies reach new extremes, writes JAMES NALTON

Negotiations over pay, conditions and league structure could have a longer-lasting impact than the 2026 tournament and high-profile signings, writes JAMES NALTON

Elliott’s situation shows how appearance-based clauses can reshape careers in unintended ways, JAMES NALTON discusses

Debutants deliver as rugby league’s new campaign recognises its roots, writes JAMES NALTON

Britain’s medal-winning curling team are back on the ice as the Winter Olympics get under way in Italy, writes JAMES NALTON

Manchester City boss speaks in Barcelona as rare senior figure in elite sport to challenge silence over Gaza, writes JAMES NALTON

Player’s proposed move to Tottenham may make sense on paper, but his value to the Reds goes far beyond minutes and money, JAMES NALTON discusses

Forward’s rise as the tournament’s leading scorer reflects a journey shaped by heritage and belief as Morocco reach the final, writes JAMES NALTON

Afcon performances suggest a team far stronger than qualifying results showed, JAMES NALTON discusses

The Congolese revolutionary’s image re-emerges through a supporter’s statuesque silent protest during DR Congo’s group-stage win, writes JAMES NALTON

Fifa’s empty promises of affordable access collapse as the 2026 World Cup becomes a showcase for profit over people, writes JAMES NALTON

While Fifa stages political theatre, the MLS Cup pits Vancouver’s collective spirit against Miami’s star-studded side, writes JAMES NALTON

As Fifa promises ‘the most inclusive World Cup ever,’ Haitian and Iranian fans are among those blocked from entering one of the host nations, writes JAMES NALTON

A demonstration lifts the lid on the UAE’s alleged support for the RSF and calls out Britain’s own arms links to the atrocities, writes JAMES NALTON

For the Gunners boss, ‘execution’ isn’t about brutality but precision — a mindset that’s driving his squad from nearly-men to genuine title contenders, writes JAMES NALTON 

JAMES NALTON writes on the bizarre Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv scandal

As the 2025 Championships kick off, Pacific island nations continue to defy the odds — proving that population size is no barrier to producing world-class sport, writes JAMES NALTON

As La Liga and Serie A plan overseas fixtures, loyal fans are left behind in a capitalist power grab Uefa claims to regret, but enabled anyway, writes JAMES NALTON

There are few more entertaining sports when played at this level, argues JAMES NALTON

Despite damning findings, Israel remains in World Cup contention - raising questions over football’s role in global accountability, writes JAMES NALTON

A century-old rivalry enters a new chapter as the Toffees’ move from Goodison Park reshapes the landscape of the Merseyside derby, writes JAMES NALTON

Governing bodies’ refusal to offer discounted tickets to local fans for 2026 is drawing criticism from politicians and grassroots movements alike, writes JAMES NALTON

The captain’s emotional performance in Argentina’s win over Venezuela had all the markings of a farewell. But if history is any guide, the legend may not be done just yet, writes JAMES NALTON

As football grapples with overloaded calendars and commercial pressure, the Mariners’ triumph reminds us why the game’s soul lives far from the spotlight, writes JAMES NALTON

JAMES NALTON takes a look at the German league’s move to grow its audience in Britain, and around the future of football on TV in general

As the concept of league games being played overseas has come about once again, JAMES NALTON writes how a club is not a club without its links to location, community and fans

Vermont Green FC’s viral Bernie Sanders tifo was more than a joke. It was a sharp critique of US soccer’s top-heavy capitalism and a celebration of grassroots power, writes JAMES NALTON

Palestinian football has been decimated, its players killed, its stadiums reduced to rubble. Yet the global game has looked away silent in the face of genocide, and will remain a stain on the sport, writes JAMES NALTON