Why national teams spark culture wars at the World Cup
June 16, 2026
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As teams across the world have become more diverse, political battles have increasingly spilled onto the pitch. In France, far-right politicians question whether players with immigrant backgrounds are "really" French. In England, debates over race and patriotism erupted when players took a knee before matches. And in Brazil, former President Jair Bolsonaro transformed the national team's iconic yellow jersey into a partisan political symbol.
"The national team is a picture of who belongs in the country," Kuper says. As politics become more polarized, even the teams meant to unite nations are becoming part of the culture wars.
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