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The Manager and the Mayor draws a sharp parallel between Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani—two builders translating belief into structure. Marvin Heilbronn traces how marginal gains (from set-piece supremacy to tax-code tweaks), clear communication, and a relentless culture of standards can move a team—or a city—from drift to direction.

Across training grounds and borough blocks, the piece shows why process beats quick fixes: youth development versus long-term neighborhood investment, match-day messaging versus public accountability, and data-driven decisions that actually earn trust. It’s a timely portrait of leadership that turns ethos into outcomes, and of New Yorkers ready to trade spectacle for substance.

GLOBAL STORIES

IN FOOTBALL THE MALAGASY REDISCOVER THEIR PRIDE

During the Africa Nations Championship, iAko Randrianarivelo captured how Madagascar rediscovered its pride through football. From the historic 2019 AFCON run to reaching the CHAN final in 2025, the Barea’s success has ignited joy across the country, uniting communities long divided by political and social tensions. What began as rare hope has transformed into a collective belief: the future belongs to Malagasy football.

THE HIGHS AND LOWS WITHIN PORTUGUESA’S CANINDÉ

Portuguesa, one of São Paulo’s most storied clubs, has lived through triumphs and turmoil at its iconic Canindé Stadium. Once a symbol of glory and community pride, the club’s fortunes shifted after a controversial relegation in 2013, sparking decline and financial chaos. Now, with a stadium renovation planned for 2026 and a new SAF ownership model in place, Portuguesa stands at a crossroads—between preserving its heritage and building a sustainable future.

VOICES OF THE MEDINA

Voices of the Medina, a multimedia cultural exploration created by Football Case Study, opens a window into this reality—how Morocco embraced football during WAFCON. Through intimate portraits in both video and photo formats, the project carries viewers across the landscapes of Morocco in their truest forms—floral backdrops, hectic streets, sandy beaches—with one shared theme: how football shapes the lives of generations. Watch the film today.

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EXPLORING : PISA

After more than three decades away from Italy’s top flight, Pisa Sporting Club has finally returned to Serie A — and with it, one of Tuscany’s most storied rivalries. In this exploring, photographer Lorenzo Gargiulo trace the club’s turbulent journey from its golden era under fiery president Romeo Anconetani, through bankruptcy, obscurity, and rebirth, to the long-awaited renewal of the Derby Toscana against Fiorentina.

FOR GIRLS IN CASABLANCA, DREAMS OF FOOTBALL GO BEYOND THE PAVEMENT

While driving to a match between Nigeria and Tunisia, the Football Case Study team, based in Casablanca for the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, stumbled upon a youth girls club that is redefining the ways young women approach football in the region. By finding inspiration through the Moroccan women’s national team and recieving support from their families, the young footballers see no limit in their future.

EDITORS CHOICE

COMMUNAL OVENS AND SHARED SPACES: THE POWER OF ACCESSIBILITY AT WAFCON

In Morocco, communal ovens known as furans serve as more than just places to bake—they are social spaces that nourish both body and community. From low-cost tickets and free transportation to women attending their first-ever matches, the tournament embraced inclusion across generations. Whether in a Casablanca bakery or Rabat stadium, these public spaces demonstrated how openness, generosity, and cultural values can elevate women’s football and strengthen community ties through shared experience.

BRAZILIAN FANS REASSERT FOOTBALL’S FORGOTTEN POWER

Throughout the Club World Cup, Marvin Heilbronn attended matches of Palmeiras and Fluminense, where he experienced the strength and fervor of the Brazilian clubs’ support and witnessed the prominence of Brazilian football reignite on the international stage. Fans from around the world united for these games; games that offered something deeper than football: a connection to home and to family.

THE LONG ASCENT: WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
AND THE MEANING OF THE AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS

The 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations arrives in Morocco at a defining moment for the women’s game on the continent. From its colonial-era roots and decades of resistance to the present surge in investment and visibility, WAFCON reflects both the progress made and the structural challenges still to overcome. Football Case Study will be on the ground throughout the tournament, documenting its players, cultures, and stakes with the depth this historic moment deserves.

AS A NEW CLUB CLOSES IN,
SAN FRANCISCO CITY FC FIGHTS FOR PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY

Kezar Stadium in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park has recently been made the grounds for a dispute between USL League Two team San Francisco City FC and Golden City FC, an in-development MLS NEXT Pro team being backed by the Mayor, the city and tech investors. As the new club makes its way into town and treads on SF City’s home stadium, Fay Harvey shines a light on how the community feels and what can be learned from clubs of the past.