College football makes FIFA look competent
Plus: How the World Cup schedule gets made and why Notre Dame has already lost fans' sympathy
Back by popular demand, here are six sports business items worthy of your attention at the start of the week…
Non-Sportico Story of the Week 📆: Henry Bushnell has a great look at how the (very complex) World Cup schedule came together. If only they’d noticed that the final schedule would mean that Seattle’s designated LGBTQ+ ‘Pride Match’ would feature two countries where homosexuality is illegal….
What I Should Have Seen Coming 📺: Every 2026 World Cup game will halt for three-minute “hydration breaks” in each half, FIFA announced Sunday. “The use of hydration breaks is part of a focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players,” the organization said. It also just so happens to create a great opportunity for broadcasters to run commercials, “if they wish,” as The Athletic reported. I’m gonna go ahead and say Fox wishes.
What I’ll Remember 🏅: Watching the World Cup Draw was a surreal experience, from an underwhelming debut of FIFA’s official anthem to Wayne Gretzky struggling through his on-stage responsibilities. But for me, the most memorable moment will be President Donald Trump placing the first FIFA Peace Prize medal over his own head—after establishing his bona fides for next year’s Best Smirk award.
What I Can’t Believe ☘️: We’re going to do this all again next year.
Somehow, the inanities of FIFA’s proceedings still made the College Football Playoff’s selection show two days later look bad in comparison. At least global football’s tournament has a set of rules (however byzantine) that determines who gets to play in the World Cup. On Sunday, the CFP chair did his best to explain how Notre Dame got passed in the rankings by Miami without either team playing a game.
The playoff rules are set to change again next year, possibly with an expanded field. But the underlying issue—that a group of insiders is tasked with simultaneously picking both the most deserving teams as well as those perceived to be the best at the end of the season—will cause fervor no matter the structure.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame has responded by refusing to compete in a lesser bowl game, sapping any sympathy the Golden Domers had earned on Sunday.
What Made Me Chuckle (Ruefully) 📊: What’s wrong with the College Football Playoff (the worst thing in American sports)? This poll from Stewart Mandel proves the answer is everything.
What I Can’t Get Enough of 🏁: NBA fans bored by NBC’s slow-drip Michael Jordan interview series need to plug into NASCAR coverage, where MJ is currently in court, suing the racing organizers on antitrust grounds. And delivering daily content gold while he’s at it.
Club Sportico is a community organized by Sportico, a digital media company launched in 2020 to cover the business side of sports. You can read breaking news, smart analysis, and in-depth features from Eben, Jacob and their colleagues at Sportico.com, and listen to the Sporticast podcast wherever you get your audio. Contact us at club@sportico.com.
Could playoff expansion trigger a broader restructuring of college football's schedule to better address coaching moves and transfer portal timing? It also feels so out of sync at the moment.