A deep-dive history of the World Cup, featuring vivid accounts of games, the innovations that shaped the sport, and the biggest football stars—now updated for the 2026 tournament.

The ultimate history of the World Cup

Every four years, the world’s best national soccer teams compete for the World Cup. Billions of people tune in from around the world to experience the remarkable games unfolding live. From Diego Maradona’s first goal against England at the 1986 World Cup to Nelson Mandela’s surprise appearance at the 2010 final in South Africa, these unforgettable World Cup moments have helped to create a global phenomenon.

In The World Cup: A History of the Planet's Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition, veteran soccer reporter Clemente A. Lisi chronicles the tournament from 1930 to today, including a preview of the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Lisi provides vivid accounts of individual games, details the innovations that impacted the sport across the decades, and offers biographical sketches of greats such as Pelé, Maradona, and Lionel Messi. In addition, Lisi includes objective coverage of off-field controversies such as the FIFA corruption case, making this book the only complete and impartial history of the tournament.

Featuring personal interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the author’s many years attending and covering the World Cup, The World Cup is the definitive history of this global event.