The World Cup is more political than you think

The World Cup is often described as a global sporting event. In reality, it's also one of the world's biggest political stages. For more than a century, countries have used the tournament to project power, express national identity, and settle symbolic scores that extend far beyond the pitch.

In this edition of Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer examines why the World Cup inspires such intense emotions and why international politics so often finds its way into the game. The tournament creates a rare moment when billions of people rally behind national teams that come to represent not just athletic success, but competing ideas of history, identity, and belonging.
That helps explain why World Cup matches can resonate long after the final whistle. The tournament has become a place where national pride, political symbolism, and global attention converge, making it far more than just a competition for a trophy.