World Cup '26: 'FIFA could never have envisaged how complicated, sensitive this tournament would be'
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Simon Chadwick, Author, Professor of Afro Eurasian Sport and Specialist in navigating the complexities of 21st century global sport. On the eve of the FIFA World Cup, Chadwick offers a sobering assessment of the political realities surrounding football's biggest tournament. While the World Cup is celebrated as a global sporting event that brings the world together, Chadwick argues that this edition is unfolding amid a complex convergence of hard-line immigration politics, conflict, diplomatic tensions, security concerns, and civil unrest. From the exclusion of a Somali referee who would have become his country's first-ever World Cup official, to increased uncertainty surrounding Iranian football staff and supporters, Chadwick suggests that sport and geopolitics are inseparable. He warns that many supporters are approaching the 2026 tournament with "a real reticence about going to America," amid concerns over immigration enforcement and political unpredictability.