The Daily

The 2026 World Cup is about to descend on North America — spread across three countries, with 48 teams, and 104 games, and with billions of fans across the globe tuning in to watch the biggest sporting event on the planet.

Today, Tariq Panja, global soccer correspondent for The New York Times, breaks down everything you need to know about this year’s tournament — the arrival of historic first-timers, like Curaçao, the aging legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are making their final appearances, and the eye-watering ticket prices that are driving fans to financial extremes just to book a seat.

On Today’s Episode:

Tariq Panja, is a global sports correspondent for the New York Times.

Background Reading:

The World Cup’s Forgotten Team

World Cup or Bust: Going Into Debt, Sleeping 10 to a Room and Layovers for Days

Photo credit: Hannah Mckay/Reuters. 

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A real estate investor’s pursuit of cheap land has prompted a lawsuit against a compound in Arkansas that will test whether civil rights laws can stop a whites-only town from existing in America.

Today, Debra Kamin, a New York Times investigative reporter, discusses the community and why its members are convinced that in this political climate, no one is going to stop them.

Guest: Debra Kamin, an investigative reporter focusing on wealth, power and corruption for The The New York Times.

Background reading: A whites-only community in Arkansas has been sued for discrimination.

Photo: Whitten Sabbatini for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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President Trump has begrudgingly accepted that artificial intelligence requires oversight and on Tuesday signed an executive order asking companies to voluntarily give the government access to new models before they’re released to the public.

Tripp Mickle, who covers Silicon Valley, discusses the battle in the White House over the issue and how it played out over the last few weeks. 

Guest: Tripp Mickle, who reports about Silicon Valley for The New York Times from San Francisco.

Background reading: 

Mr. Trump signed an executive order seeking oversight of A.I. models.

Here’s what’s driving Mr. Trump’s big A.I. pivot.

Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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At the front lines of the Ebola crisis in Central Africa, badly equipped health workers with little outside support are losing the fight against one of the worst outbreaks in history.

Declan Walsh, a New York Times correspondent covering the outbreak, takes us to the epicenter of the virus and explains why, so far, its spread has been so difficult to stop.

Guest: Declan Walsh, the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

Inside the Ebola epicenter, the virus rages with little to stop it.

Here’s what to know about the Ebola outbreak.

Photo: Arlette Bashizi for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite maker, is set to go public and begin selling shares as soon as next week.

Ryan Mac, who reports on business, explains the plan for the company’s expected record-shattering debut on the stock market, and how it is changing the rules for investing.

Guest: Ryan Mac, a New York Times reporter based in Los Angeles who covers corporate accountability across the global technology industry.

Background reading: 

Why sky-high I.P.O. pricing isn’t great for real people.

From April: SpaceX filed to go public, setting the stage for a huge I.P.O.

Photo: Steve Nesius/Reuters

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

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