The concerning case of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar

The world’s eyes are on the 32 national soccer teams hoping to win big at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar.

It’s the first time the competition is being hosted in the Middle East. And while fans from across the globe descend on the tiny host country to cheer on their favorite teams, controversy has taken center stage.

“Much of the build-up to this tournament has been on more sober matters, that of human rights, from the deaths of migrant workers and the conditions many have endured in Qatar, to LGBTQ and women’s rights,” writes Aimee Lewis, Pramod Acharya and Sugam Pokharel for CNN.

We’ll hear more from experts about the mess and get the latest on the tournament.

Soccer legend Lionel Messi announced last month that this World Cup would be his final tournament. Will he and Argentina finally prevail and win the biggest prize in the sport?

We chat about Messi’s legacy and more as we preview NPR’s new bilingual sports podcast, “The Last Cup.”