The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest ever: 48 teams, 104 matches, three host nations. But off the pitch, this might be the most controversial tournament in memory. In this episode of Nelson John 360, Nelson John breaks down three stories the highlight reels are skipping, and finds the India thread running through each one.

First, the broadcast firesale: how a country of 1.4 billion almost had no World Cup broadcaster, why FIFA's asking price collapsed from $100 million to around $40 million, and what cricket, ad inventory, and midnight kickoffs have to do with it. Then the ticket scandal: dynamic pricing, $33,000 face-value final seats, resale listings in the millions, the New York and New Jersey investigations, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino's now-infamous hot dog quip. And finally the border: travel bans, fans turned away despite holding tickets, the FIFA Pass, and what it all means for the Indian diaspora living inside America's tightening immigration system.

A clear-eyed, multi sourced look at who the World Cup is really for now, with conviction and a take you can argue with.

Chapters:

The country that almost couldn't watch

Why India's rights collapsed

$2 million seats and the hot dog

The fans turned away at the border

The take: growth vs access

Listen to the full audio episode wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes regularly on India and the world, explained.

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