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.