Men’s World Cup arrives in the Pacific Northwest

Think Out Loud

Men’s World Cup arrives in the Pacific Northwest

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Published on Jun 22, 2026, 1:14:20 PM
Total time: 00:29:39

Episode Description

Last week the US Men’s National Team defeated Australia in Seattle as part of the opening round of the FIFA World Cup. The Pacific Northwest is hosting several of the many games being played across North America in this year’s championship. Pacific University political science professor and former footballer Jules Boykoff points out that while soccer is a beautiful game, the high ticket prices, FIFA corruption, high carbon footprint and scandals of this year’s competition bring a world of contradictions. Boykoff joins us to discuss his latest book, “Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing, and the FIFA Greed Machine.”

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