Cover From underdog stories to explosive exposés, these FIFA World Cup films and documentaries are unmissable (Photo: IMDB)
From underdog stories to explosive exposés, these FIFA World Cup films and documentaries are unmissable (Photo: IMDB)
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With FIFA World Cup 2026 already delivering unforgettable moments, these are the films and documentaries that capture the drama, heartbreak and humanity of the beautiful game
As the FIFA World Cup 2026 unfolds across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the tournament offers more than a spectacle of results and rivalries. It also reframes football as a cultural force, one that extends far beyond the pitch into questions of identity, ambition and power. Some of the sport’s most revealing narratives, in fact, are found off the field, captured in films and documentaries that examine its human and institutional dimensions. These seven essential titles trace football at its most compelling and complex.
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‘Diego Maradona’ (2019)
Above Oscar-winner Asif Kapadia's riveting documentary 'Diego Maradona' is unmissable
Directed by Oscar-winner Asif Kapadia, this electrifying biographical documentary was built from over 500 hours of never-before-seen personal archives. Rather than a conventional sports biography, it delivers an unvarnished portrait of Diego Maradona’s godlike era at SSC Napoli and the chaotic excess that ultimately consumed him. At once a celebration and a tragedy, it holds a stellar 90 per cent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes—and every frame earns it.
‘U.S. Against the World: Four Years with the Men’s National Soccer Team’ (2026)
Above HBO's docuseries 'U.S. Against the World' captures the USMNT's road to hosting glory
Available on HBO, this unprecedented five-part docuseries chronicles the US Men’s National Soccer Team across a gruelling four-year cycle. It traces the squad’s evolution from their Round of 16 exit in Qatar 2022 under coach Gregg Berhalter, through a painful Copa América group-stage exit, to the tactical reset under current head coach Mauricio Pochettino. This is essential viewing for understanding the pressure of competing on home soil.
‘The Two Escobars’ (2010)
Above ESPN's documentary 'The Two Escobars' is a gripping tale of football and crime
Widely regarded as one of the greatest sports documentaries ever made, this ESPN 30 for 30 film traces the fatal intersection of Colombian football and the drug trade in the 1990s. Director Michael Zimbalist traces the parallel lives of national team defender Andrés Escobar and drug lord Pablo Escobar in a film that moves beyond sport into a wider study of power, consequence and legacy.
‘The Bus: A French Football Mutiny’ (2026)
Above Netflix documentary 'The Bus' revisits the shocking collapse of France's 2010 World Cup squad
Released on Netflix in May 2026, this jaw-dropping 81-minute documentary revisits France’s catastrophic 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa—a tournament that ended with players publicly refusing to train. Directors Christophe Astruc and Jérôme Fritel give the heavily criticised players a platform to speak, offering a more nuanced account of the squad’s meltdown and the eccentric management of head coach Raymond Domenech.
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‘Copa 71’ (2024)
Above Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine's 'Copa 71' reclaims football history for women everywhere
Directed by Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine, this extraordinary documentary uncovers the forgotten story of the 1971 Women's World Cup in Mexico City. Despite drawing over 100,000 fans to the iconic Estadio Azteca, the tournament was dismissed by FIFA and erased from official records for decades. Using restored archival footage, the film finally gives these pioneering footballers the recognition they were denied for half a century.
‘Saipan’ (2025)
Above Steve Coogan and Éanna Hardwicke face off in the brilliant football drama ‘Saipan’
This sharp, darkly comedic drama from directors Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa dramatises the infamous “Saipan incident” ahead of the 2002 World Cup, in which Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane (Éanna Hardwicke) walked out on the squad following a spectacular clash with manager Mick McCarthy (Steve Coogan). Written by Paul Fraser, it plays out less like a sports film and more like a tense, brilliantly performed state-of-the-nation character study.
‘Next Goal Wins’ (2014)
Above The original 2014 documentary 'Next Goal Wins' is a perfect, heartwarming underdog story
Seek out the original 2014 British documentary by directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison—not Taika Waititi’s 2023 Hollywood remake. This warm, deeply moving film follows the American Samoa national football team as they attempt to recover from a historic 31–0 defeat to Australia and qualify for the 2014 World Cup under the guidance of Dutch coach Thomas Rongen (who appears as himself), proving that resilience and heart can matter just as much as the final score.
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After more than a decade in lifestyle media, Clifford has mastered the art of writing seriously about things that are fun—and writing fun things about people who take themselves very seriously. At Tatler Asia, he helped steer its flagship lists, Tatler’s Most Influential and Asia’s Most Stylish. And today, he leads T-Labs, Tatler Asia’s content innovation hub, where he continues the noble pursuit of lifestyle storytelling, spinning stories on wealth, entertainment, necessary style, Hallyu, Hollywood, beauty and more for audiences across Asia.
