The 2022 FIFA World Cup has kicked off in Qatar. This sporting event is by far the most watched globally—one game can draw more than a billion viewers. FIFA is also the second-largest international organization after the United Nations. With a sphere of influence this large, the World Cup is about much more than soccer. Soft power, diplomacy, foreign relations, and human rights all surround the beautiful game, and the whole world is keeping score.

Featured Guests

Laurent Dubois (Director for Academic Affairs of the Democracy Initiative, University of Virginia)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/troubled-cup-beautiful-game