Axios

The pickleball craze — so hot in the pandemic and immediately afterwards — may be cooling off.

The big picture: The number of pickleball courts across the 100 most populous U.S. cities increased just 4% from 2025 to 2026. That's compared to 13% growth in 2025, and 14% in 2024.

Houston youth soccer clubs could see participation rise as the World Cup arrives in North America this summer, a club leader says.

Why it matters: More Americans are tuning into soccer ahead of the sport's most prestigious tournament, with hopes that this summer will spark the kind of breakthrough interest the 1994 World Cup did the last time it was played on American soil.

For one glorious month, fans around the world stop to watch the same thing.

• Add in Lionel Messi's likely last dance and a tournament playing out in your backyard, and even the most casual fan has reason to tune in.

By the numbers: The 2026 tournament includes:

• 48 teams (up from 32).
• 104 matches over 39 days.
• Three host countries, a first for the men's tournament.

The favorites: Spain, France and England headline the sportsbooks, with five-time winner Brazil and reigning champ Argentina right behind.

• Norway is the buzzy dark horse, back on the World Cup stage after a 28-year absence, with lethal striker Erling Haaland.