The World According to Football

The unique and insightful docuseries creatively examines important social issues by using football as a way of contextualizing them. From the lost decades of women's football in Brazil due to a nearly 40-year ban of women from the sport, to the United States' "pay to play" system, which prevents kids from underserved or "othered" communities from playing club soccer, The World According to Football demonstrates how a country's football culture reflects national and global systems of political, economic, and sociocultural power. It also highlights the different ways individuals within the football community are challenging the practices reinforced by these systems and spearheading change within the sport.

The weightiness of the topics and events discussed is mildly offset by Trevor Noah's trademark humor, and by excerpts from popular movies and TV shows that are included for some laughs. But none of this takes away from the intelligent and honest conversations about the inequities that persist in the sport, and how this is directly linked to the history and practices of the countries in which it's played. You don't have to be a football (or soccer!) fan to appreciate what's being offered here, but chances are you'll come away with more respect for those who continue to work hard to make the sport, and the world, better for everyone.