Pitch : Stories Of Modern Sport - The World Cup issue, #16

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n the next edition of Pitch, it’s all about the World Cup.
Our city guide maps the likely fan experience of the host nations, from pocket-sized neighbourhoods to the concrete colosseums of game day, while ‘a bloke named Rob’ covers off USA ’94, citing it as the birth of the modern global tournament, no less.
Paul Simpson’s “Made at the WC” reminds us of the great moments from competitions past. There’s a Bluffer's Guide to the 2026 event, so you can watch the action unfold with the absolute confidence of a fairly-well-informed football watcher. From which, there is no better view.
Elsewhere, we look at the first-time qualifiers - there’s three of ‘em. There’s a World Cup book extract from Don Masson - him being the last Scottish WC Captain. And as there will no doubt be multiple shoot-outs, we speak to a goalie about… saving penalties.
Also, we look at soccer in America more generally, including a once-over of the NASL and its original cast of galacticos by the name of Pele, Beckenbauer and sweet sweet Georgie Best. In this whirlwind of Tampa Bay Rowdies and LA Aztecs, we also cover off why it worked when it do, and where it ultimately went wrong.