The Power and the Glory

The History of the World Cup

Contributors

By Jonathan Wilson

Formats and Prices

Price

$32.00

Price

$42.00 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. Hardcover $32.00 $42.00 CAD
  2. ebook $19.99 $25.99 CAD

A definitive new history of the world’s most watched sporting event – just in time for the 2026 tournament

Since 1930, the World Cup has become a truly global obsession. It is the most watched sporting event on the planet, and 211 teams competed to make it into the 2022 tournament. From its inception, it has also been a vehicle for far more than soccer. A tool for self-mythologizing and influence-peddling, The World Cup has played a crucial role in nation-building, and continues to, as countries negotiate their positions in a globalized world. 
 
The Power and the Glory is a comprehensive history of the matches and goals, the tales of scandal and triumph, the haggling and skullduggery of the bidding process, and the political and cultural tides behind every tournament. Jonathan Wilson details not merely what happened but why, based on fresh interviews and meticulous research. The book is as much about the legends of the sport, from Pelé to Messi, as it is about the nations who made them, from Mussolini’s Italy to partitioned Germany to controversy-ridden Qatar. 
 
Brimming with politics, heart, and drama, on and off the pitch, The Power and the Glory is the definitive story of the greatest cultural event of our time.

On Sale
Oct 28, 2025
Page Count
464 pages
Publisher
Bold Type Books
ISBN-13
9781645030409

Jonathan Wilson

About the Author

Jonathan Wilson writes about football for the Guardian and Observer, including a weekly column for the Observer. He has written 11 books, including Inverting the Pyramid, and is the editor of The Blizzard. He lives in London.

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