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Connections: Soccer Edition hints & answers: Sunday, June 21, 2026

Updated: Sunday, June 21, 2026 · Hints reviewed by Omer Liban · New puzzle daily — free from The Athletic. · Puzzle editor: Will Jeanes.

This page has every level of help for the Connections: Soccer Edition puzzle of Sunday, June 21, 2026: 3 spoiler-free hint tiers that narrow things down step by step, followed by the complete answers with explanations — each behind its own tap-to-reveal card.

Stuck on today's Soccer Edition? Work the tiers below exactly like regular Connections — one answer per group, then the themes, then the full explained solution — revealing only what you choose. (Yes, it's the football one — 'soccer' is just the branding.)

Connections: Soccer Edition is The Athletic's football version of Connections — four colour-coded groups from easiest 🟡 yellow to trickiest 🟣 purple, all about the beautiful game: players, clubs, competitions, moments. Free to play.

Soccer Connections hints (June 21, 2026)

1One answer from each group
  • Yellow (easiest): one of its answers is “ARABIA”.
  • Green (easy): one of its answers is “CHAMPIONS”.
  • Blue (tricky): one of its answers is “NEUER”.
  • Purple (trickiest, usually wordplay): one of its answers is “BID”.
2Category hints (no answers)
  • Yellow (easiest): the theme is “Final word in name of 2026 world cup teams in english”.
  • Green (easy): the theme is “_____ league”.
  • Blue (tricky): the theme is “Famous german players”.
  • Purple (trickiest, usually wordplay): the theme is “Associated with transfers”.
3One full group revealed
  • Yellow (easiest) — the connection is “Final word in name of 2026 world cup teams in english”, and its four answers are: ARABIA, CONGO, COAST, HERZEGOVINA.

Soccer Connections answers — June 21, 2026

★Today's full Soccer Connections answers, explained
  • Yellow (easiest) — the connection is “Final word in name of 2026 world cup teams in english”. The answers: ARABIA, CONGO, COAST, HERZEGOVINA.
  • Green (easy) — the connection is “_____ league”. The answers: CHAMPIONS, EUROPA, PREMIER, NATIONS.
  • Blue (tricky) — the connection is “Famous german players”. The answers: NEUER, KROOS, BECKENBAUER, MATTHÄUS.
  • Purple (trickiest, usually wordplay) — the connection is “Associated with transfers”. The answers: BID, FEE, DEAL, RECORD.

Next in today's routine: Today's Puzzle Answers → · every game's answers on one page. New puzzle daily — free from The Athletic. Bookmark this page for tomorrow's hints. Or play Soccer Connections on the official site.

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Soccer Connections — common questions

What is Connections: Soccer Edition?

The Athletic's football version of Connections, launched in June 2026: sixteen answers, four hidden groups, all of it football — players, clubs, competitions, kits, iconic moments. Free to play, and separate from the sports edition.

Is Soccer Connections about football?

Yes — 'soccer' is the branding of The Athletic's US newsroom, but the puzzles are thoroughly football: Champions League history, World Cup winners, grounds and managers all feature.

What do the colours mean in Soccer Connections?

Same as every Connections: yellow is the easiest group, then green, then blue, and purple the trickiest — typically wordplay or a link designed to catch fans out.

Previous Soccer Connections puzzles

Full Soccer Connections archive (109 puzzles) → · How to play Connections: Soccer Edition →