There is only one World Cup

Like much of the world, I have spent the last 3.5 weeks awash in soccer (or in European parlance, football). The 2026 tournament has been the best one in memory, delivering high drama and elation and devastation to the largest field of teams and fanbases and countries ever assembled. Living in the host nation helps a bit, with the games broadcast in my local timezone 1 , but there is so much…