COVER
The Global Game
Worshipped by the masses and played by superstars from all walks of life, the World Cup is a celebration of soccer as the great equalizer
Playing The Rebel Game
In South Africa, soccer has long been a political statement. A successful World Cup would be another one
The World Cup As Big Business
The tournament really took off when two controversial FIFA bosses harnessed the game to television audiences and corporate patronage
Yes, Soccer Is America's Game
It's more than just kids. On the field, in the media, in the culture, the sport has grown in almost every direction
One on One with David Beckham
The English star rates the U.S. game
A Team United Has Fans Divided
How players from separatist Catalonia turned Spain into Cup favorites
ESSAY
Go, North Korea!
In 1966, one team thrilled the World Cup — and a teenager who got to watch them
GLOBAL ADVISER
Nine South Africans Tell You How to Kick Back in the World Cup Cities
What's there to do when the whistle blows? Nine prominent South Africans tell you how to spend your free days in three of the World Cup's host cities — Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban
BOOKS
Blood and Passion in Paris
Twenty true stories from throughout the history of Paris reveal a city built on division
LETTERS
New Rulers of Britannia (Inbox)
Layin' Down the Law On the Street; You Never Can Tell