The Athletic’s puzzle series has become a ritual for soccer enthusiasts who want to test their knowledge before the biggest tournament in the sport’s history. On July 18, 2026, the game will release its thirty‑eighth edition, a special edition tied to the upcoming World Cup. Players are presented with sixteen words or phrases that must be sorted into four groups of four, each sharing a hidden connection.
The puzzle’s structure
The rules are simple yet demanding: identify the common thread that links four items and place them together. The challenge lies in spotting subtle relationships that range from the physical to the statistical, forcing solvers to think about the game in new ways.
This edition’s categories are themed around four distinct aspects of the sport. The Yellow group leans toward injuries, the Green group highlights different types of play, the Blue group spotlights the most prolific scorers at past World Cups, and the Purple group focuses on goalkeepers who could shape the 2026 tournament.
The mind behind the game
Will Jeanes, a senior editor at The Athletic who specializes in soccer history and statistics, crafted the puzzle and supplied the hints that guide players toward the correct groupings. His deep dive into the sport’s data adds a layer of narrative that goes beyond mere word association.
Fans can expect the next puzzle to appear at midnight in their local time zone, continuing the daily cadence that has turned the game into a staple of pre‑World Cup anticipation.