The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be one of the biggest sporting events in history, bringing together 48 nations and billions of fans in a celebration of the world's most popular sport. From unforgettable goals and legendary players to dramatic upsets and fierce rivalries, the tournament showcases everything that makes soccer special. But the action on the pitch is only part of the story.

Behind every trophy, superstar, and historic moment are incredible journeys, sacrifices, and untold dramas. These seven documentaries take you beyond the stadium lights, offering a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the people and stories that shaped the beautiful game.

A single own goal changed the fate of a nation. The Two Escobars (2010), directed by brothers Jeff and Michael Zimbalist, is one of the most powerful sports documentaries ever made, blending soccer, crime, and politics into a gripping true story. Set primarily in Colombia, especially Medellín and Bogotá, the film follows the intertwined legacies of Colombian soccer captain Andrés Escobar and notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar.

It explores how cartel money transformed Colombian soccer into a global force before the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where Andrés Escobar's tragic own goal contributed to the team's shocking elimination. Less than two weeks later, he was m*******. Through interviews with Carlos Valderrama, René Higuita, coach Francisco Maturana, Andrés' family, journalists, officials, and even Pablo Escobar's hitman Popeye, the documentary reveals how sport and organized crime became inseparable.

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Its unique parallel storytelling makes it as compelling a true-crime tragedy as it is a soccer documentary.

Before social media influencers and athlete brands dominated the world, there was David Beckham. Netflix's Beckham (2023), directed by Fisher Stevens, is a four-part docuseries that explores the remarkable career and personal life of one of soccer's biggest global icons. The series follows Beckham's journey from a football-obsessed kid in East London to stardom at Manchester United, before charting his years at Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, and eventually Inter Miami.

Set across England, Spain, Italy, and the United States, it also examines the immense pressure of fame, including his infamous red card at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, relentless tabloid scrutiny, and the strain placed on his marriage. Interviews feature Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson, Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo Nazário, and Diego Simeone. What sets the series apart is its rare emotional honesty, candid family moments, and fascinating look at the birth of the modern sports superstar.

What happens when a sporting hero becomes larger than life? Diego Maradona (2019) examines that question through the turbulent career of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona. Directed by Asif Kapadia, the documentary focuses on Maradona's years at Napoli, where he arrived as a record signing and transformed the club into a powerhouse while cementing his place among soccer's all-time greats. Set mainly in Naples, alongside scenes from the 1986 and 1990 FIFA World Cups, the film charts his meteoric rise, immense popularity, and eventual decline caused by drug addiction, personal controversies, and criminal associations.

Interviews feature Maradona himself, his ex-wife Claudia Villafañe, his sister Maria, trainer Fernando Signorini, journalists, and club insiders. Unlike traditional documentaries, there are no on-camera interviews. Instead, every story is told through voice recordings layered over hundreds of hours of rare archival footage, creating an immersive portrait of a sporting genius under crushing pressure.

Power in football doesn’t just live on the pitch; it’s built in silence, behind locked doors and private votes. FIFA Uncovered (2022), directed by Daniel Gordon, investigates the transformation of FIFA from a modest sporting body into a global financial and political force. The series tracks how leadership under João Havelange introduced commercial expansion through corporate partnerships, reshaping the sport’s economic foundations, and how Sepp Blatter later consolidated control through political alliances that kept him in power for years.

The story moves across Zurich, South Africa, Russia, Qatar, and the Americas, tracing decisions that shaped multiple World Cups and triggered one of the biggest corruption scandals in sports history, including the 2015 FBI investigation. What emerges is a portrait of football governance entangled with money, influence, and global politics, where hosting rights and voting power become tools of negotiation rather than sporting merit, redefining the game from the top down.

Some careers feel written in advance, as if every setback exists only to shape the final moment. Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend (2024), directed by Juan Baldana and Daniel Rosenfeld, captures Lionel Messi’s journey toward the one achievement that defined his generation. Across five World Cups, the narrative builds through years of expectation, public doubt, and the constant comparison to Diego Maradona that followed him in Argentina.

From the agony of the 2014 final loss to Germany to a brief international retirement in 2016 and the rebirth sparked by the 2021 Copa América, every chapter builds toward Qatar 2022. Set across stadiums in Qatar, the streets of Argentina, and echoes of his years in Barcelona and Paris, the story captures both the pressure of a nation and the solitude of a quiet genius. It becomes less a biography and more a pressure chamber, where every match narrows the distance between doubt and destiny until the final against France seals his place in history.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup was not only a battle of nations, but a test of leadership under impossible pressure. Captains of the World (2023), directed by Louis Myles, captures that emotional battlefield through the eyes of the men responsible for carrying entire countries on their shoulders.

Focused on the Qatar tournament, the series follows how captains navigate glory, collapse, expectation, and identity in real time, as the world’s biggest sporting stage unfolds around them. Set entirely within Qatar’s stadiums, training camps, and tightly controlled team environments, the story unfolds like a pressure cooker where every match reshapes national mood within minutes.

The narrative moves between iconic figures such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, alongside leaders like Harry Kane, Luka Modrić, Thiago Silva, and emerging voices from breakthrough teams like Morocco and the United States, all reflecting different versions of responsibility and legacy. Built through unprecedented access and backed by Fulwell 73 and FIFA+, the series stands out for its intimate proximity to decision-making moments, exposing the emotional cost of leadership at football’s highest level.

A football club, a struggling Welsh town, and two Hollywood stars collide to create one of the most unexpected sports stories ever told. Welcome to Wrexham (2022–present), the Emmy-winning docuseries from FX and Hulu, follows Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they take ownership of Wrexham AFC, one of the oldest professional football clubs in the world. Set in Wrexham, North Wales, the series captures the club’s fight to climb back through the English football league system after years in the lower divisions, with the Racecourse Ground standing as both battlefield and symbol of survival.

What makes the story compelling is its focus on the people behind the club rather than just the results on the pitch. Players, staff, and lifelong supporters become central voices, alongside the new owners, navigating pressure, investment, and expectation from a distance between Hollywood and Wales. Produced by Boardwalk Pictures, the series avoids glossy sports mythmaking and instead builds a living portrait of a town where football is identity, pride, and emotional survival, turning every match into something far bigger than sport itself. These 7 soccer documentaries belong on your watchlist this FIFA season.

10 Perfect Soccer Documentaries To Watch on Netflix Before FIFA World Cup 2026

Which one are you starting with first? Let us know in the comments.