The World Cup Story, Part 1: Soccer and Scandal

As the World Cup begins, we bring you a two-part Sunday special charting how FIFA built the World Cup into a global phenomenon. In Part 2, WSJ sports journalists Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson explore FIFA under its current president Gianni Infantino and how he has maximized revenue for FIFA by exploiting new markets for soccer in the Arab world and the U.S. at the expense of the sport’s longstanding fanbase. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The World Cup Story, Part 1: Soccer and Scandal Sign up for WSJ’s free Sports newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two scrappy horror films are taking Hollywood by surprise. “Backrooms” and “Obsession” have wildly exceeded expectations at the box office. Both spring from internet culture and have brought an unprecedented numbers of Gen Z-ers into theaters. WSJ's Ben Fritz explains what this new wave means for the movie business. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Why Hollywood Can't Find Good Scripts - Hollywood Jobs Are Disappearing Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SpaceX is preparing the largest public offering ever on Friday. Elon Musk’s space-satellite-AI-social-media company plans to sell $75 billion worth of shares at a “take-it-or-leave-it” price of $135 a share. WSJ’s Corrie Driebusch takes us inside the SpaceX books and details what investors are thinking about the massive IPO. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Musk vs. Altman - Elon Musk's $1.25 Trillion Megamerger - The Woman Behind SpaceX Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the era of the $100 steak, WSJ reporter Patrick Thomas traveled from a steakhouse in Omaha to a manure-splattered cattle auction in the Nebraska sandhills. What he found was a story about drought, debt and a stunning reversal of fortune that has left America's ranchers holding more power than they've had in decades. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Beef Between Cattle Ranchers and Meatpackers  - How Scotts Miracle-Gro's Weed Business Went Up in Smoke Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, Bill Gates was best known for his charitable work. The Gates Foundation spends billions on humanitarian efforts around the world. At one point, Gates was ranked as the world’s most admired man. But as details surface about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, that carefully crafted image is eroding. WSJ’s Emily Glazer reveals the lengths that Gates’s team has taken in order to burnish his reputation, and how it’s slowly cracking. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How Jeffrey Epstein Made Millions From His Connections - The Growing Fallout From the Epstein Files Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sweden, once considered by many as the standard bearer of high-tax and high-spend government, has embraced capitalism. WSJ’s Tom Fairless reports on how the Nordic country privatized large swaths of its healthcare and school systems, promoted business and shrank the state. Ryan Knutson hosts.   Further Listening: - Germany’s Economy Is Spiraling. Can War Fix It? - China's Cheap Goods Are Europe's Problem Now Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the World Cup begins this week, we bring you a two-part Sunday special charting how FIFA built the World Cup into a global phenomenon and how it became marred in scandal and corruption. In Part 1, WSJ soccer experts Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson go back to the World Cup’s origins — how it grew from a small tournament in Uruguay into a massive empire. And how an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice prompted a moment for reckoning for FIFA. Ryan Knutson hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The collective credit card debt of Americans has reached an all-time high of $1.25 trillion. Soaring interest rates and stubborn inflation have also led more people to be late making their credit card payments or not paying at all. WSJ’s Dan Frosch reports on why that debt is growing and where people can turn for help. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: Swipe, Spend, Repeat: The Perks Arms Race in Your Wallet Student-Loan Debt Is Strangling Gen XSign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a new gig economy that involves training AI to do white collar jobs. And one company, Mercor, is leading the charge. The training startup hired 30,000 contractors just last year to help AI companies get their models trained up on sophisticated roles. Ryan Knutson spoke to one former Mercor contractor about the job and WSJ’s Katie Bindley lays out the tactics that have landed the startup in hot water. Further Listening: The ‘Class of AI’ Enters the Workforce AI Is Coming for Entry-Level Jobs Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s carmakers like BYD, Geely and Great Wall Motor have seen immense growth in recent years. But their cars are not for sale in the U.S. due to high tariffs and tight regulations. WSJ’s Ryan Felton reports on America’s rising interest in Chinese cars, particularly because they’re so affordable. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Move Over, Humans. China's Robots Are Taking Over - How China's BYD Overtook Tesla - China and the U.S. Are in a Race for AI Supremacy Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices