Heartland - Tapa blanda

Very possibly the best novel about the World Cup (Esquire Esquire)

It is Spring 2002, with local elections looming. A mosque is being built on the site where Cinderheath's iconic steelworks once dominated the town. 'The Tipton Three', from just down the road, are imprisoned in Guantanamo; the BNP expect to win new seats on the council. St. George's flags fly from cars and windows: the World Cup is beginning, England to play Argentina. But first, a controversial Sunday-league football game must take place, billed by the press as 'a match to spark a race war'.