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Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide stretched in the air to save the ball on the pitch as a shot goes wide during the Group C World Cup match against Morocco in Atlanta.

Own goals are soaring at World Cup. Here’s the data behind the trend

by Greg St. Martin
ohn McGinn #7 of Scotland and Rayan #26 of Brazil battle for the ball during a FIFA World Cup match.

What heat maps can tell us about the World Cup teams

Headshot of Cesareo Contreras
by Cesareo Contreras
Scottish fans in kilts and blue face paint play bagpipes and celebrate among a crowd at a park in the United States.

Why ‘high-emotional’ videos of World Cup tourists are going viral

Headshot of Peter Rubinstein
by Peter Rubinstein
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer dives to make a save during warmups before the World Cup Group E match against Curaçao in Houston.

How World Cup goalies can find success using ‘short memory’

Headshot of Peter Rubinstein
by Peter Rubinstein
Curaçao players Juninho Bacuna and Leandro Bacuna celebrate on the field after a FIFA World Cup Group E match at Kansas City Stadium.

Everyone loves an underdog. Here are some of the ones in the World Cup

Headshot of Cesareo Contreras
by Cesareo Contreras
Turkey's Can Uzun, left, and Turkey's Kenan Yildiz hang their heads after a loss against Paraguay.

The data shows Turkey, Ecuador have excelled. Neither team has won

by Greg St. Martin
Marco Friedl of Austria, goalkeeper Alexander Schlager of Austria, and Lionel Messi of Argentina go for the ball during a match.

Messi broke the record for World Cup goals. What led to his success?

Headshot of Cesareo Contreras
by Cesareo Contreras
Brothers Theo Hernandez and Lucas Hernandez share a laugh on the pitch during France's UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match against Ireland at Parc des Princes.

Could sibling rivalries help several teams in the 2026 World Cup?

by Cody Mello-Klein
Players with Cape Verde celebrate on the field after first goal.

‘Fairytale game.’ The data shows how Cape Verde does it again.

by Greg St. Martin
Japan's Ayase Ueda celebrates after scoring against Tunisia in a 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage match at BBVA Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico.

What the data tells us about Japan’s historic match against Tunisia

Headshot of Cesareo Contreras
by Cesareo Contreras
A view of the exterior to the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston.

World Cup hotel demand in Boston falls short of forecasts

Headshot of Tanner Stening
by Tanner Stening
Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic dives to save a penalty from England's Harry Kane during their FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match in Dallas.

8 numbers that tell the World Cup’s story over the first week

by Greg St. Martin