50% off limited time offer
Subscribe
World Cup 2026
The impossible jigsaw
The tournament is presented in fragments. No one sees the full picture – which is even more pronounced with the unprecedented scale of this competition, Rory Smith writes
David Hockney 1937-2026
A life in colour
The artist, who has died aged 88, embraced vibrancy his entire life, from his early days in sepia-toned Bradford to his Californian adventures, Tim Adams writes
Interview
How motherhood changed my tune
Singer-songwriter Laura Marling speaks to Anna Leskiewicz about being a mother, partner and provider, and her ‘sincere’ album of songs for children
For today
Politics
Tom Baldwin
John Healey’s resignation – and Starmer’s shrinking army
Belfast
Fred Harter
Northern Ireland’s divided society is fertile ground for far-right extremists
The Observer Walk
Rachel Sylvester
Lemn Sissay: ‘My foster parents taught me that if you are loved, you will be destroyed’
Books
The children’s books that shaped us
Books
View more
Biography
William Boyd
Anthony Blunt, the spy who outwitted them all
Q&A
Ellen Peirson-Hagger
Ocean Vuong: ‘Service industry work is like a sonnet to me’
Women’s Prize 2026
Ellen Peirson-Hagger
Lyse Doucet: ‘Every day, Afghan women tell me they’re living in a prison’
Religion
Rowan Williams
William Tyndale, the radical who rewrote the Bible
The critics
View more
Time well spent
Further reading
From Anthony Blunt to Ocean Vuong
Your essential guide from The Observer’s books desk
Further watching
From Brexit to Gareth Southgate
The Observer’s TV critic Barbara Ellen on the best new shows airing and streaming
Further listening
California dreaming at the 2026 World Cup
As the tournament kicks off with a trio of opening ceremonies culminating in a starry performance in LA, our critic picks the best songs about the Golden State
Ideas
View more
Politics
Andrew Rawnsley
Farage, Lowe and the fight for the right to be the nastiest party
Personal
Ben de Pear
‘Are we doing a story? My God I’m alive again!’ Despite his Alzheimer’s, I was still Jon’s editor
BDS
Kate Maltby
It’s not the British Museum’s job to police the culture wars
Tax
Mandy Yin
I had to close my beloved restaurant. VAT was taking too big a bite of the profits
World
View more
Lebanon
Ruth Michaelson
The collapse of the Iran-Israel ceasefire shows Trump is not calling the shots
Ukraine
Jen Stout
Ukraine’s robotic army starts to turn the tide against Russia’s bloody advance
US
Rory Smith
A cage fight at the White House puts the Trumpian world-view on show
The Hague
Chloe Hadjimatheou
The sex scandal that could bring down the ICC
National
View more
Politics
Ceri Thomas
‘It’s terrifying – if we get Reform, it could change Britain’: voters fear for Labour in Makerfield
Lithium batteries
Francisco Garcia
‘He’ll have to learn to use his hands again’: alarm grows over ebike fires
Environment
Jon Ungoed-Thomas
Something stinks as water firms dump sewage into rivers and seas for 1.5m hours already this year
Dating apps
Marine Saint
Finding love may Hinge on how much you share about yourself
Sport
View more
Football
Jon Ungoed-Thomas
West Ham co-chairman stands down and vows to sue BBC over historical allegations of improper conduct
Basketball
Ben Coles
Victor Wembanyama – the ‘unicorn’ who is head and shoulders above the rest
Tennis
Simon Cambers
Mirra Andreeva comes good on her promise as she seals first Slam
Football
Giles Smith
A World Cup summer of animal prints, ink blots and pastels
In Real Life
View more
Observations & scenes from the world beyond your phone screen
Food
View more
Meet the Observers
To meet more of our team, click here
Tortoise Investigates
Deep Water
In the high-stakes sport of freediving, athletes descend as deep as they can on a single breath. They are used to putting their lives at risk. Through her diving instructor, Lydia Gard discovered a new threat that could tear their community apart: drug use
Sweet Bobby
Kirat is a successful radio presenter. On Facebook she meets Bobby, a handsome cardiologist. He’s a catch. Soon, they get tangled up in a love affair full of lies and manipulation. Then… Kirat discovers a deception of almost unimaginable proportions. Alexi Mostrous investigates a very modern love story
Lucky Boy
Gareth’s whole life has been defined by a relationship he had 35 years ago when, as a 14-year-old schoolboy, he fell in love with an attractive young teacher at his school. He spent most afternoons in her bedroom. But when she walked out of his life, everything started to unravel. Chloe Hadjimatheou asks: who gets to be a perpetrator, and who gets to be a victim?
