By Mary Connor, CEO, Common Goal The final whistle has blown. Spain are world champions. For the first time in history, one nation holds both the men's and women's World Cup trophies at the same time. And the way that these Spanish teams win has a resonance that goes far beyond the pitch. Watch the way Spain plays and you'll see something that runs counter to almost everything modern sport celebrates. There is no single hero. There is no moment where one player takes over and

What 570+ grassroots football festivals tell us about football communities across the US When people look back on this FIFA World Cup, they'll remember the goals, the upsets and the champions. But across the United States, another story unfolded alongside the tournament. Over the past few months, more than 570 Soccer Forward Fests emerged across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. They took place in neighbourhood parks, schools, community centres and local pitches. Some were