Grant Wahl’s untimely passing in 2022 left a gaping hole in the global soccer community, and particularly in US journalism when it comes to speaking truth about FIFA. Grant was a champion for human rights and human dignity, and he spent much of his career exposing the places where FIFA fell short on both.
One person who, in my view, has stepped into part of that space is Charlie Boehm, national writer for Major League Soccer.
With the 2026 World Cup approaching, I reached out to Charlie to discuss some of the biggest issues facing the tournament, including:
- Dynamic ticket pricing and concerns about reduced fan demand
- The burdensome visa requirements facing foreign fans traveling to the United States
- The possibility of ICE agents being present at matches
- The ways the President may attempt to insert himself into the tournament
You can follow Charlie on Bluesky, and find his work at MLSsoccer.com and, more recently, Sounder at Heart.
Subscribe to my newsletter, Takes & Typos!
Consider supporting the podcast by joining Channel 253 as a member
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS