FIFA

The Qatar 2022 World Cup has been a cozy logistical affair, enabling fans to easily crisscross the Connecticut-sized country and intersect with fans and other teams. But small and tidy is set to give way to large and unruly, as World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Minutes-long ground travel now will be replaced by hours-long air travel.

Soccer great Pelé is largely credited with calling his sport “The Beautiful Game,” an affectionate phrase its media and admirers still like to turn to when other adjectives escape them. But a closer look into soccer’s inner workings occasionally takes a bit of shine off the world’s biggest professional sport.