Pitch

Inside every issue of Pitch magazine you will find stories, long and short, covering at least 30 different sports. There’s football, cricket, rugby – both types – golf, MMA, boxing, athletics and F1. And loads of others. Because ultimately we are sports fanatics.

WATCH THE GAME LAST NIGHT?

Pitch

FRONT ROW / CONTRIBUTORS

THE WORLD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS?

In 60 Seconds… with Jack Savoretti. • THE BRITISH-ITALIAN SINGER-SONGWRITER TAKES A DEEP BREATH FOR ONE SPORTING MINUTE WITH PITCH.

SCHEMATICA SoFi Stadium, California • The West Coast jewel of the World Cup… Welcome to the ‘Los Angeles Stadium’.

Rated. • Cult Kits. Of the international variety.

…Build a wall. • Stop the ball without compromising the crown jewels.

Roger Milla • ATHLETES THAT OUT-PERFORM THEIR SPORT

PUB GOER’S GUIDE TO… Table Football

Basic, Better, Best… THROUGH HISTORY • Most sports have ‘em, but what separates the best from the rest when it comes to our favourite pastimes’ biggest occasions?

Backyards – No.13 Uruguay @ Estadio Centenario

São Paulo • The city where Brazilian football first arrived. And lives on.

FIRST-TIMERS… No.7 – Keeping gloves • Anyone who’s felt the full force of a semi-frozen mitre football to the palm understands the ‘why’. But who first wore goalkeeping gloves? And how did it go down?

FOOTBALL In 10 Characters, or Less… • Blokes who made ‘playing like Brazil’ look easy.

Alt. Icons. SPORTNG PESTS • “There’s a dog on the pitch!” No finer phrase has ever been uttered at a sporting event. It even tops a streaker. Because where the camera will pan away from any nakedness, it can’t get enough of an errant pet, stray, or misplaced woodland animal. Let the japes ensue.

Book Reviews • Jade Craddock turns the screw on sport’s latest and greatest novels.

THE WORLD CUP YEARS 1930-2026

Not Operating NoRmaLLy • FROM MEDNESS IN MEXICO TO CATASTROPHE IN CAPE TOWN, PAUL SIMPSON CHARTS THE WORLD CUP’S MOST CURDLED CAMPAIGNS. WE START IN CHESHIRE WITH ROY KEANE. OBVIOUSLY.

Archipelago go • Much has been made of FIFA’s $1billion World Cup expansion to 48 teams. With four debut nations bound for North America, the documentation of who they are and how they got there is told through the journey of one unlikely Cape Verdean.

A Tartan Timeline • A troubled journey through, but not beyond, the group stages.

Great Scott! • Binned by Manchester United, Scott McTominay finds himself living La Dolce Vita in Napoli. Pitch waxes lyrical about the midfielder’s role at the World Cup with Scotland. Tastebuds and all.

ONE MORE TIME • Andy Afford looks at the World Cup through the prism of squad ages. Is it really just a number, or is there something more to growing up? England will definitely hope so.

FAVOURITES TO WIN THE 2026 WORLD CUP? YOU BETCHA.

la Catastrople • IN THIS EXTRACT FROM NO SHOW: THE WORLD CUP TEAMS THAT NEVER WERE, JAMES BENNETT REVISITS THE BRUTAL QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN THAT DENIED ERIC CANTONA, JEAN-PIERRE PAPIN & CO. THEIR PLACE ON THE WORLD STAGE.

Hot Hot Heat… • The league that tried to go global before its country was anywhere near ready. But was the North American Soccer League really the failure it's made out to be?

Fail! • Three other alternative sporting ventures consigned to the ‘where are they now' file.

Gettin' Rowdy, Eventually… • The league's founding fathers.

SHOWREEL • PITCH TALKS TO SPORTS CREATIVES ABOUT THEIR WORK, WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO, AND WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT THEIR SUBJECTS.

SHOT(S) • MARVELOUS MOMENTS AND PICTURES FROM THE RECENT PAST…

YOUNG SPORTS JOURNALISTS YSJ 2026 • It’s back again. And with good reason. Meet the authors of...