Whatever will be, will be : Whatever will be, will be: A Matter of Life and Football - Shortlisted for Charles Tyrwhitt Football Book of the Year and Sports Audiobook of the Year 2026

A book so beautiful that it finally made me understand what football means. An exceptional writer.'- Bella Mackie'So much more than a book about football. A book about aging, community and memory. Rich in detail and great jokes. I wish I had written it.' - Josh Widdicombe'Mesmerising and unputdownable, like Fever Pitch meets The Sportswriter. I commend it in the highest terms.' - Amol RajanFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of It's Always Summer Somewhere comes a moving and often hilarious journey through the 2024/25 FA Cup - from the first muddy preliminary round in Penrith toa glorious sunny day at Wembley. On the brink of turning 40, Felix White sets out to watch a match from every round of the Cup, meeting fans, players and dreamers at every level of the English game. As he travels the country, football becomes a way to explore memory, identity, grief and joy. While he reflects on his own lifelong obsessions, his story becomes a unique expression of how the game communicates something vital, both literal and internal, between a child and an adult. Told with lyrical wit and heartfelt honesty, Whatever Will Be, Will Be is more than just a story about football - it's about growing up, holding on and the strange ways sport connects us all.