FIFA World Cup

U.S. Olympic Basketball: Will Gold Be Turning To Lead?

Four years ago in Beijing the American basketball world very nearly got a rude shock when Spain's national team scored 107 points and trailed by just two with four minutes to play. Our eventual 119-107 victory did little to ease the minds of American fans; all we could think of was, in effect, "T ... More >>

Top 10 Eurovision Song Contest Winners* of All Time

In a couple of weeks, the biggest, gaudiest, gayest and easily the most-watched televised music event in the world will unfold, this year from Baku, Azerbaijan, and once again Americans will be almost completely oblivious to it. We're talking, of course, about the Eurovision Song Contest, which sta ... More >>

Alex Benepe, Quidditch Commissioner, On the Upcoming Quidditch World Cup

​Alex Benepe is not a wizard, but the 25 year-old is nonetheless the first ever Commissioner of Quidditch and the founder of the International Quidditch Association. The Muggle version of Quidditch is an adaptation of the game played in the Harry Potter novels where players fly around on broom ... More >>

U.S. v. Japan: A Final Kick in the Pants, But a Fantastic Run

Saki Kumagai focuses before her winning penalty kick.​To me, the U.S. women's soccer team's bid for the World Cup was more inspiring than the 1980 men's Olympic hockey team's victory (you know, the "Miracle on Ice"). I think that what they were doing — giving us all something to cheer about ... More >>

Women's World Cup Sets New Tweet Record

​Alas, the U.S. lost in Sunday's Women's World Cup final, ceding the first place spot to Japan, but worldwide there were other competitions -- on different fields -- afoot. As we watched the final moments with bated breath, people were tweeting about them like crazy around the world, surpassin ... More >>

Credit Title IX, and Richard Nixon, for a U.S. Women's World Cup Win

​Like a cool shower giving respite from a heat wave, the U.S. women's soccer team rolls on, distracting us from ugly political and economic news and -- for at least a few moments -- bridging the country together. Today's 3-1 victory over France's Violent Femmes secures the U.S. team's positi ... More >>

Special Soccer Edition: Why do Mexicans in the United States Root for Mexico Against the U.S. in Soccer?

And why are they so rude?

GOAAAAAL!

African Diaspora International Film Festival scores

The Heartbreaking Story of the Guy Who Invented the Vuvuzela

​By now, you know what a vuvuzela is: the crackhead, steroid-taking sibling of the diminutive kazoo that made its presence known to the universe at large during the World Cup, wherein, everyone at the World Cup had one, and were blowing their vuvuzelas. It sounds like hell. Of course, appropri ... More >>

Rightbloggers Look Back in Anger at The Anti-American World Cup

"It's hard work, politicizing your whole life," read the subhed of Matt Labash's article in the rightwing Weekly Standard. At last, we thought when we saw this, they're going to own up to it! We can stop writing this accursed column -- and, freed of their delusions, conservatives can begin to live ... More >>

Iker Casillas, World Cup-Winning Spanish Goalie, Giving Totally Unprofessional, Totally Awesome Victory Kiss (Video with Subtitles)

​There's an old Swedish proverb: A life without love is like a year without Summer. And Summer is the season when love is most definitely in the air. So is there any better way to start this Monday Summer morning than with this totally awesome smooch of victory video?

Paul the Octopus Retires, Now What Will We Talk About? (Surprise Bonus Video!)

​We really need to think of new bar-side conversation starters since Paul the Octopus has put away his proverbial crystal ball. He endured fascination, praise, and even death threats from around the globe during his successful (eight times!) and controversial tenure of World Cup psychic.

Paul the Octopus Chooses Spain as World Cup Champion, Faces Death Threats (Videos!)

​Today, Paul the Octopus, who has accurately predicted every outcome of Germany's World Cup matches, has picked Spain over the Netherlands to win the July 11 final game. This is the first time the eight-legged creature, who lives at Sea Life in Oberhausen, Germany, chose between two non-German ... More >>

Answers to the Annoying Questions Your Indecisive Friends Will Ask About the First Jelly NYC Pool Party. (Yes, You Can Probably Watch the World Cup Final There.)

On Sunday afternoon, FIFA will crown the 2010 World Cup winner. At that very same time, Jelly NYC will be hosting its first Pool Party of 2010. To immerse yourself locally in the World Cup final experience, all you need is a football-friendly liquor-licensed establishment, a large-screen TV, and t ... More >>

Live: Delorean Take Up Residence at the Stuy Town Oval

​Delorean and their minders. All photos by Georgia Kral​Dolorean Stuy Town Oval Wednesday, July 7 It certainly didn't hurt that Spain beat Germany yesterday to progress to the World Cup final: hot weather, a Spanish band, a Spanish victory, Thai iced tea flavored ice pops--everything wa ... More >>

Copenhagen Gets a Cocktail Culture; South Africa Hopes Wine Can Bridge a Racial Divide

​Beer-happy Copenhagen is getting its own cocktail culture, with several serious cocktail bars cropping up in recent years, and the debut of Copenhagen Cocktail Club, a group of bartenders dedicated to "promoting and developing the art of drink and bar and cocktail culture in Denmark and acros ... More >>

AFRICAN PRIDE

The Roots host a World Cup wrap party

Holiday Weekend Morning Links: Congo Oil Tanker Blows, Paris Hilton's World Cup Weed

​• The world knows all too well the potential for destruction surrounding gigantic oil tankers and unfortunately it was demonstrated again when at least 230 people were killed, and nearly 200 more injured, when an oil tanker flipped and exploded in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According ... More >>

The Best and Worst Ideas for the Vuvuzela, Baritone Instrument of Infuriation

​Each week in Best and Worst we'll bring you the Internet's finest and most devastating takes on something that is -- or is on its devious way to becoming -- a cultural phenomenon. What viral video shows its most hilarious (or horrible) aspects? Which Photoshopped or actual creation does it ju ... More >>

Vuvuzela Finally Drives Reasonable Person to Threshold of Insanity, Murder

​Yes, the single dumbest musical instrument and temporary obsession of people who are hellbent on annoying you into going all Jack Nicholson in The Shining since dudes were playing the "Star Wars" theme on the nose flute, the Vuvuzela -- that stupid South African horn people can't stop blowing ... More >>

World Cup Goes On, US Interest Goes Back to Nil-Nil

​So where does the cause of U.S. soccer stand after Saturday's disappointing 2-1 loss to Ghana? Let's review: "I bet I can name the exact moment that soccer conquered America," wrote Jeff Z. Klein in the Voice after Cybil Shepherd cooed about how cute some of the players were on the Jay Len ... More >>

It's a Visor; It's a Yarmulke; It's a Yamulkap?

via Gothamist​Wearing a Yamulkap makes a statement: Religious observance and sun protection are not mutually exclusive. The cap, sporty and understated, with a brim to shade from the sun attached to a yarmulke to keep with Jewish tradition, might be one of the smartest inventions of our time, ... More >>

Why Mexicans Hate Soccer

The American version of fútbol, that is

World Cup Fever Isn't Over

Who are you cheering for?

USA vs. England World Cup Match Set to Dominate the Day; BP Subplot Boiling Under

​In June, 1950, at the World Cup in Brazil, the American team beat England 1-0. It was the last time the two teams met in the Cup and is still thought of as "the greatest upset in the history of World Cup soccer." The defeat humiliated the proud England team and crushed a nation. In America, a ... More >>

NYC World Cup Fans Get Posh New Digs at Puma City

​Every four years, Americans adopt the rest of the world's favorite pastime. And this year for the World Cup, Puma partnered with South Street Seaport restaurant Red to create New York's booziest soccer cash cow: Puma City, a pop-up soccer amusement park, which opened today to throngs of unemp ... More >>

Happy Hour at Ofrenda: Free Botanas, $5 Margaritas, $4.50 Mexican Beer

clubplanet.comOle, ole, ole, ole.​As of today, the city has officially gone World Cup crazy. Ah, oh yes, there will be drink specials. The good news is that happy hour has been shifted to whenever there's a game on, be it Monday morning at 10 or Friday at 7:30 p.m. Ofrenda is offering soccer f ... More >>

World Cup Prediction: The Same Old Thing, Like Always

​Here's my World Cup prediction: every game will be 1-1, 1-0, or 2-1. (There was once a game between, I think it was, Cameroon and New Zealand where the final score was 3-1, but that's only because the Cameroon's team was involved in a bus accident before the game and could only field two play ... More >>

Week in Review: Sign of Victory

One of these dudes is noticeably less enthusiastic than all the other dudes. Photo by Nate "Igor" Smith​In the week we interviewed an actual fitness instructor about the theoretical plausibility of exercising to Sleigh Bells, we also penned a Twitter-based ode to Erykah Badu's habitual latenes ... More >>

Soccer Betting: In U.S. vs. England World Cup Match, A Steak is at Stake

Balls to the walls, indeed.​As one of the things "white people like," it comes as little surprise that World Cup has become increasingly popular in gentrified New York neighborhoods. This weekend, not only will every soccer bar in the city be packed (with many patrons who have probably never w ... More >>

10 Nominations for 2010 World Cup Anthems Better Than Shakira's "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)"

We defy you to unironically enjoy this song. The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa kicks off on June 11th. Sports-wise, the tournament promises to be thrilling, with 32 teams from around the world pitting their varied domestic styles and approaches to the game against each other in a bid to deci ... More >>

This Week's Voice: Summer Jam 2010, Christina Aguilera, Against Me!, Bret Easton Ellis, and More

Nicki Minaj, in one of many "invincible Street Fighter 2 character" outfits. Photo by Santiago Felipe​In this week's Village Voice, Rob Harvilla keeps a running diary of Summer Jam 2010, where the best highlight Hot 97 could muster was a set from DJ Khaled. What happened, New York? Elsewhere, ... More >>

World Cup 2010 Bluffer's Guide

What you need to sound like you understand fútbol

GOAALLLL!

Party like you’re in Johannesburg

World Cup: U.S. vs England

Five Nike Commercials That Emotionally Manipulate Even Non-Sports Fans

You might not know, because you are an American or otherwise uninterested, but the World Cup is coming up in a matter of weeks, in which the earth's best soccer playing nations will face off in South Africa. It only happens every four years. When it does, millions and millions tune in with all leve ... More >>

5 Tribeca Film Festival Must-Sees

OUT OF AFRICA

A festival explores what's new in African cinema

OUT OF AFRICA

A festival explores what's new in African cinema

Molson Canadian Hopes the Olympics Will Make Canadians Patriotic; Diageo Is Up to Its Old Tricks

​They say wine is good for you. But which wines are best for your health? Research suggests that wines higher in procyanidin, which helps prevent heart disease, are those that undergo a long fermentation. In other words, more traditional wines. [Wall Street Journal] A roundup of the city's to ... More >>

May the Nation With the Most Hotties Prevail

A head-butt-free look back at the World Cup's finest NYC fetes

"Are You Ready For Some Futbol?"

For the second week, New York watches the World Cup

Soccer Support Groups

Where to watch the World Cup—with people who actually care

Sports

Nil and Void

Soccer Mania? Give Me a Red Card.

Sports

Warming Up to Soccer

The U.S. Finally Shakes Off Its Cold War Prejudices

Foot Soldiers

The Launch of the WUSA Opens a New Front in Women’s Pro Sports

Sports