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Luis Paez-Pumar

Soccer

Here’s The 2026 World Cup Draw

A general view of the performance as Saudi Arabia is displayed on the LED Screen during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final Draw at Doha Exhibition Center on April 1, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

Saudi Arabia Will Host The 2034 World Cup

Ray Ratto

Victor Francos at left and RFEF chief Luis Rubiales, smirking in the center, at a reception following the Spanish women's team's triumph in the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Luis Rubiales Can’t Even Be A Pig Right

Spain players celebrate at the end during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Final match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia on August 20, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Spain’s Players Earned This World Cup

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<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
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Abigail Segel

Jorge Vilda, Head Coach of Spain, looks on during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Quarter Final match between Spain and Netherlands at Wellington Regional Stadium on August 11, 2023 in Wellington / Te Whanganui-a-Tara, New Zealand. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

When Your Coach Sucks, Everybody Loses

Salma Paralluelo of Spain celebrates after scoring her team's second goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Quarter Final match between Spain and Netherlands at Wellington Regional Stadium on August 11, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand.

Salma Paralluelo Shook The Netherlands Out Of The World Cup

Kenza Dali (3rd R) of France celebrates with teammates after scoring her team's second goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between France and Morocco at Hindmarsh Stadium on August 08, 2023 in Adelaide / Tarntanya, Australia.

France Is Taking Care Of Business

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 06: USA players react as Sophia Smith of USA misses her team's fifth penalty in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Sweden and USA at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on August 06, 2023 in Melbourne / Naarm, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Sunrise Is Way Too Early To Be Crying For The USWNT

Caitlin Foord of Australia celebrates after scoring her team's first goal with teammates during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Australia and Denmark at Stadium Australia on August 7, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Root, Root, Root For The Host Team

Kelley O'Hara, Alyssa Thompson, Megan Rapinoe, and Alyssa Naeher of the USA are dejected after their team was defeated in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Sweden and USA at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on August 06, 2023 in Melbourne / Naarm, Australia.

The USWNT Lived By An Inch And Died By A Millimeter

Manuela Vanegas of Colombia celebrates after scoring her team's second goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group H match between Germany and Colombia at Sydney Football Stadium on July 30, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

The 16 Teams Left In The Women’s World Cup, Ranked By Coolness

A photo of Christen Press and Tobin Heath as they sit on the set of their show, the RE-CAP show, and discuss the USWNT tie with Portugal.

Tobin Heath And Christen Press Offer A Dose Of Sanity This World Cup

Sofia Bouftini and Morocco players celebrate advancing to the knock out stage after the 1-0 victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group H match between Morocco and Colombia at Perth Rectangular Stadium on August 03, 2023 in Perth, Australia.

Group H Gave This Group Stage The Astonishing Send-Off It Deserved


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99</p>


Diana Moskovitz

A general view of the outside of Stadium Australia with the official FIFA Women's World Cup logo ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group B match between Australia and Ireland at Stadium Australia on July 20, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Try Watching This World Cup In Spanish

Patrick Redford

2-time FIFA World Cup Winner and investor in NJ/NY Gotham FC emcees the World Cup Send Off for the players going to represent their countries in the 2023 FIFA World Cup after the National Women's Soccer League Match between the Chicago Red Stars and NJ/NY Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena on June 25, 2023 in Harrison, New Jersey.

Carli Lloyd Somehow Finds Invalid Criticism For Team That Did Everything Wrong

Netherlands' forward #22 Esmee Brugts (centre L) scores her team's sixth goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup Group E football match between Vietnam and the Netherlands at Dunedin Stadium in Dunedin on August 1, 2023.

Esmee Brugts Only Scores Absolute Firecrackers

Lindsey Horan #10 of the United States celebrates scoring during the second half against the Netherlands during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group E match at Wellington Regional Stadium on July 27, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand.

Lindsey Horan And The Power Of Rage Saved The USWNT From Itself

Sarina Bolden (R) of Philippines celebrates after scoring her team's first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group A match between New Zealand and Philippines at Wellington Regional Stadium on July 25, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand.

While You Were (Probably) Sleeping, Group A Got Real Hectic

Linda Lizeth Caicedo Alegria of Colombia celebrates after scoring her team's second goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group H match between Colombia and South Korea at Sydney Football Stadium on July 25, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Linda Caicedo Is The Future

Germany's forward #11 Alexandra Popp (R) celebrates scoring her team's first goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup Group H football match between Germany and Morocco at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, also known as AAMI Park, in Melbourne on July 24, 2023.

Alexandra Popp Is The Dream Crusher

Sophia Smith #11 of the United States celebrates scoring during the first half of the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group E match between USA and Vietnam at Eden Park on July 22, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Sophia Smith Is The Answer To Every Question

Hannah Wilkinson (2nd R) of New Zealand celebrates with teammates after scoring her team's first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group A match between New Zealand and Norway at Eden Park on July 20, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand.

New Zealand Opened The World Cup With A Victory For The Ages

Mayra Ramirez (R) of Colombia celebrates with teammates after scoring the first goal of her team during a Group A match between Ecuador and Colombia as part of Women's CONMEBOL Copa America Colombia 2022 at Estadio Pascual Guerrero on July 17, 2022 in Cali, Colombia.

Colombia Is Ready To Shock The World Again

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 07: Players of Korea Republic huddle on the pitch prior to the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France group A match between France and Korea Republic at Parc des Princes on June 07, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Can South Korea Finally Break Out At The World Cup?

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - JULY 09: Sofia Huerta #3 of the United States controls the ball during the second half of an international friendly against Wales at PayPal Park on July 09, 2023 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

World Cup