NYT Connections Soccer Edition Puzzle #26 — Answers for July 6, 2026
✅ Full Answers
🟨 SOCCER VARIATIONS
BEACH
FIVE-A-SIDE
FREESTYLE
FUTSAL
🟩 MLS TEAMS
FIRE
RAPIDS
TIMBERS
UNION
🟦 HOST CITIES OF WORLD CUP FINALS
BERLIN
JOHANNESBURG
RIO DE JANEIRO
YOKOHAM
🟪 SOCCER PLAYERS
BALOGUN
HEITINGA
PEPE
SONG
🎯 Strategy Tips
Pro strategy for Soccer Connections #26: Isolate the World Cup host cities first, as Yokohama and Johannesburg are very specific geography clues. Next, look for the different ways to play the game (Futsal and Five-a-side are dead giveaways). That leaves you with the MLS teams and the player names, which should easily fall into place via the process of elimination.
⚠️ Red Herring Warning: Watch out for "FIRE" and "BEACH"! You might try to associate them with natural elements or summer vacation spots, but in today's puzzle, they belong to MLS franchises and variations of the sport itself. "SONG" might also look like it belongs in a music category, but don't be fooled—it's actually the surname of a famous player!