Flick off!

World Cup fever is about to hit as we warm up for the 2026 tournament. And with two of our home nations in the game (commiserations, Wales and NI) there’s a lot to look forward to. But when one of the host nations is Trump’s America, where does that leave fans of the beautiful game? We’ve gone beyond the pitches to find how football is still an unstoppable force for good. We’re taking a walk through the inspiring host cities tackling all the bigly issues, meeting the players in the Street Child World Cup, and cheering on the Welsh team that DID make it to Mexico. We also look at the meaning attached to flags, and ask how to reclaim our colours in a way that leaves no one feeling sidelined.

Also inside

• Fast Show legend Charlie Higson says that if he were PM, he’d aspire to be more Clement Attlee than Boris Johnson
• Footballing legend Terry Butcher still feels annoyed about Maradona’s handball in Mexico 86
• Booker Prize winner Roddy Doyle introduces a short story collection he curated – and we’re offering a free copy to every reader!
• Our vendors, who will be handing out copies of the book on their pitch, tell us about their love of literature
• Former Big Issue staffer Sam C Smith, who stars in the new He-Man movie, recalls his journey from the Cardiff office to Castle Grayskull
• A new documentary, Free Nelson Mandela, highlights how music is part of the machinery of resistance
• BIG Kids offers advice to young people who want to grow up to be a footballer
• And Bristol vendor Tony has ambitions to move up the ranks and work with people experiencing homelessness

And much more

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