The 2026 World Cup is bringing together millions of fans, athletes and stories from around the globe. Columbia Journalism School alumni are capturing some of the biggest moments for audiences during the tournament across the U.S.
Explore their work below:
Ryan Kost, '23 M.A. Arts & Culture, offered World Cup visitors a lighthearted introduction to New York, highlighting the city's frustrations and character in “Welcome to NYC, World Cup fans. Everything is falling apart.” for Gothamist.
Kate King, '15 M.A. Business & Economics, covered the push to overhaul Penn Station for The Wall Street Journal, looking at how a new proposal could reshape one of New York's most heavily used gateways.
Melanie Anzidei, '14 M.S., took readers behind the scenes of the World Cup for The Athletic, exploring how stadiums have disguised longtime sponsors to meet FIFA requirements.
Asli Pelit, '21 Knight-Bagehot Fellow, previewed Turkey's World Cup squad for The Athletic, examining the talent and momentum behind one of the United States' Group D opponents.
Farah Otero-Amad, '19 M.S., covered the World Cup's traveling fan culture for The Wall Street Journal, reporting on how thousands of Scotland supporters turned Providence, R.I., into their tournament home base.
Gabriela Bhaskar, '17 M.S., photographed the World Cup's celebration of Mexican and Korean community ties in Los Angeles for The New York Times, capturing fans gathering in Koreatown for the Mexico–South Korea match.
Patricia Murphy, '06 M.S., reported for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on mounting pressure from Georgia lawmakers for Atlanta's public transit system MARTA to strengthen safety measures ahead of the World Cup, as the city prepares to welcome thousands of visitors.
For Realtor.com, Kiri Blakeley, ‘99 M.S., detailed how anticipation for the World Cup has fueled a surge in short-term rental bookings in host cities nationwide.
Plus, Columbia Journalism Review's “Pitched Battle” examines how coverage of the 2026 World Cup is bringing politics off the sidelines.
