First Touch '26
April 15, 2026 — Newsletter #32
Remembering a Random World Cup Legend Every Week
Ferenc Puskas of Hungary and the “Magic Magyars!” A great week to be celebrating the iconic Hungarian team of the 1950’s.
Headlines from Off-the-Pitch:
The matches are done, as is the temporary afterglow of actual soccer. It is thus our plight to plug away through the weekly news around the World Cup until we can return to the warm embrace of the matches themselves, the one thing FIFA can’t take from us (we think?):
The big conversation of the week are announcements that train tickets from the matches in Boston and New York will cost $80-$100.
Before you take your pitchforks to your local city halls, in both cases the pricing is the result of the exorbitant costs ($10’s of millions of dollars) that FIFA forces on host cities, without providing any access to the billions of dollars they’ll profit. The result? Costs, yet again, being passed on to fans.
If you thought you’d avoid train tickets and participate in the classic American tradition of tailgating…well, you know the bit by now. FIFA says no tailgating for the World Cup.
Separately, FIFA is being accused of running a ticketing scam and facing a lawsuit in the EU. One of the more recent complaints is FIFA introducing a more expensive new ticketing category for front row seats, despite offering those seats as part of the previous round of Category 1 sales.
AFA, the Argentine soccer federation, is itself embroiled in a controversy, as police raids from a few months ago uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars funneling through shell accounts, a mystery villa with luxury cars, and millions in unpaid taxes. At the center is federation president “Chiqui” Tapia, who remains in power despite some sponsors cutting off payments due to the investigation.
Headlines On-the-Pitch:
Alright, we’ve gotten through the hard part. Let’s talk soccer!
The big surprise of the week came from U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker, who promptly resigned his post to join Saudi Arabia. It’s definitely disconcerting that he’d step away from his role so soon before the World Cup, but the position’s impact on the World Cup itself should be minimal.
Elsewhere, Carlos Quieroz was appointed Ghana’s head coach for the World Cup. The experienced Portuguese coach has led his home nation, South Africa, and Iran in previous World Cup, and worked at both Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Back in Argentina, the federation turned heads announcing their World Cup friendlies to take place in College Station, Texas and Auburn, Alabama against non-World Cup nations Honduras and Iceland.
Finally, some sad news for U.S. and France fans as their attackers Patrick Agyemang and Hugo Ekitike both suffered Achilles injuries likely to force them out of the World Cup.
Newsletter Halftime: Let's Do Some Trivia!
The 1934 World Cup was an important event for Mussolini’s Fascist regime in Italy, and he did everything he could to ensure Italy won.
Fortunate enough to not have either reigning champions Uruguay or any of the UK nations participating, Italy recruited a ton of expats and non-Italians, including a few of Argentina’s best players.
In addition, rumors abound about the refereeing. Swedish referee Ivan Eklind, only 28 years old, supposedly met with Mussolini before both the semi-final and final…which he called dubiously.
The Italians went on to defeat Austria and Czechoslovakia in front of thousands of home fans.
A Thing We're Excited About:
The Tartan Army in Providence!
If you listened to our First Touch Weekly episode this week, you would have heard our report on Scotland’s legendary band of traveling fans, the Tartan Army, selecting Providence, Rhode Island as their home base for the World Cup.
Scotland fans are famed for more than a few qualities; drinking (of course), but also their indomitable optimism and their commitment to leaving things better than they found it.
If you're a Rhode Islander, you’re in store for a one-of-a-kind June with your compatriots from Scotland!
A Not Actually Too Early Prediction:
Golden Ball Winners by Likelihood:
5. Lionel Messi
4. Vinicius Jr.
3. Harry Kane
2. Kylian Mbappe
1. Lamine Yamal
Episode 9 of First Touch Weekly is Out Now!
Introducing Kickback Soccer Media’s First Touch Weekly, our premium 2026 World Cup podcast, covering the biggest stories across global soccer—from players and matches to politics, culture, host cities, the fan experience, and beyond. Hosted by Susannah Fuller and David Gass alongside a rotating cast of journalists and experts, the show delivers smart, inclusive analysis and deep dives into everything shaping the road to and through the FIFA World Cup 2026—and continues beyond the tournament as a weekly destination for what’s next in the global game.
- This week’s episode features a story on the Scottish fan group the “Tartan Army,” as well as all the important news of the week in a three minute rundown.
- Listen here (Apple) or here (Spotify) or wherever you find your podcasts!
Every World Cup Nation, Previewed!
Over at our website kickbacksoccer.com, we’ve launched a first-of-its-kind team by team preview of every participating World Cup nation!
You can find both written overviews, and special video and podcast primers for every country, all right at your fingertips.
Check it out here and tell your friends!