Sports Diplomacy and North America
As all eyes turn towards North America as it hosts FIFA World Cup 2026, the natural question becomes how does sports diplomacy play a round among the co-hosts, as well as the teams, fans, and media involved around the world’s biggest football festival.
This was the conversation starter for the Council on Foreign Relations’ recent State and Local Officials webinar, “Sports Diplomacy and North America,” in which I discuss with CFR Senior Fellow Edward Alden all things sports diplomacy.
Joy and Changing the Narrative: The Surprising Example of Sports Diplomacy Storytelling Within FIFA 2026’s Group of Death
The massive global storytelling platform of FIFA World Cup 2026 provides an opportunity for the Iraqi men’s national team to reset global narratives, informed by lessons from the FFF’s sports diplomacy work with the Lionesses of Mesopotamia.
France and the UEFA Euro at 60
France begins its UEFA Euro 2020 campaign against Germany at the Munich Football Arena. The symbolism is rife this year, and this edition is still known as Euro2020, a nod to the competition’s 60th anniversary and celebration of an integrated “Europe” that's had the French as a driving force in the post-1945 era.
Resumption of Rivalries: Women's Football in France a Year After the World Cup
Yesterday the world’s most dominant football club returned to square-off against its biggest rival in a grinding match, delayed by a power outage but finally won at the nail-biting end on penalties. The footballeuses of Olympique Lyonnais (OL) Féminin clenched their ninth Coupe de France title, eeking past Paris Saint-Germain Féminine as the rain streamed down in Auxerre, and earning their 30th championship trophy, according to L’Équipe’s statisticians. But has the pandemic pause negatively impacted women’s football in France, stunting the momentum of last summer’s FIFA World Cup?
A Teachable Moment From #TalkingSport
I appreciated this insightful panel and the speakers’ thoughtful points. You can read my Tweet thread of highlights, which notes several key aspects I noted, and watch the highlights on YouTube. But for me, one of the discussion’s biggest value added was the speakers’ diversity of global views.
The Top Stories for 2020
There’s a lot to be excited for as we kickoff the new decade. I’m looking to 2020 as I continue to build out two key basketball stories of my own, but I also see 2020 as a break out year where many of the trends and movements in the global sports sphere finally bear fruit. Primarily, these are stories where cross-sport and cross-cultural influences—often influenced by different types of sports diplomacy—make all the difference.
Why France Still "Won" World Cup 2019
The aftermath was bitter. While only one team won yesterday’s quarter-final showdown on the field (that would be the USWNT), France and Les Bleues won this tournament in another way.
How Do They Make Les Bleues?
A lot has changed since the early 2000s when the first wave of female footballers emerged from Clairefontaine, among them legendary icons Laura Georges, Louisa Nécib (Cadamuro), Camille Abily, and Amandine Henry. So: what does the Pôle France Féminin du football look like today?
Women’s World Cup Countdown
We’re finally here, one week before the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in France. And all eyes are on Les Bleues to see if they can continue the magical journey begun last summer by their male counterparts in Russia.
