Jonathan Wilson, "The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup" (Bold Type Books, 2025)

Feb 8, 2026

Jonathan Wilson, writer and broadcaster known for deep football history, discusses his new history of the World Cup. He traces the tournament’s origins, the politics of hosting from Mussolini to sportswashing, and the controversies of Qatar 2022. Conversations cover FIFA’s finances, expansion from 32 to 48 teams, Africa’s rise, migration’s impact on national squads, and what the World Cup means for global identity.

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ANECDOTE

Rimet's Vision And 1930 Frustration

FIFA president Jules Rimet wanted a professional global tournament after 1924 and 1928 Olympics highlighted football's popularity.
Wilson recounts Rimet's vision and frustration when many Europeans stayed away from the 1930 Uruguay cup.

INSIGHT

Hosts Use Tournaments To Shape Image

Hosts use the World Cup to project national image, but methods differ by regime and era.
Wilson contrasts Mussolini's theatrical nation-building in 1934 with Uruguay's earlier, different approach.

INSIGHT

Popularity Can Outweigh Political Outrage

The World Cup's popularity can overpower political outrage: fans still flock to watch compelling football.
Wilson notes Qatar 2022 showed both human-rights abuses and irresistible sporting drama simultaneously.

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As the world prepares for the 2026 World Cup, Jonathan Wilson’s new book, The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup (Bold Type Books, 2025), presents a new history of what has become the greatest celebration of humanity on earth, and reveals how the World Cup has grown hand in hand with the political, economic, and social forces of our time.

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 that 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.

Dr. Andrew O. Pace is a historian of the US in the world who specializes in the fog of war. He is currently a DPAA Research Partner Fellow at the University of Southern Mississippi and a co-host of the Diplomatic History Channel on the New Books Network. He is also working on his first book which examines why the United States pursued victory at practically all costs during World War II. He can be reached at andrew.pace@usm.edu or via his website here. Andrew is not an employee of DPAA, he supports DPAA through a partnership. The views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of DPAA, DoD or its components. 

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