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Football in the shadow of war and politics
The upcoming FIFA World Cup, amid global tensions and an energy crisis, highlights the clash of sports and geopolitics in unprecedented ways.
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New Delhi: A world at war will soon be playing football (or soccer as the Americans call it). Over its long history, the World Cup, first played in 1930, has seen its fair share of chaos but this edition, which begins tomorrow, will kick off near the top of the charts in that regard.
The world is in the middle of an energy crisis due to the war in West Asia; negotiations haven’t gone anywhere and with many countries staring at an economic crisis, this seems like anything but the time to play football, but here we are.
“This will be the biggest, the most inclusive, the greatest FIFA World Cup ever,” gushed FIFA president Gianni Infantino in 2025. “FIFA is the official happiness provider for humanity.”
Happiness; provider; humanity -- it somehow seems a cruel joke to even use these words at a time like this.
The US, with President Donald Trump leading the way, will be one of the three hosts for the expanded 48-team (from 32 in 2022) tournament. The country is at war with Iran and the conflict has led to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the International Energy Agency, in 2025 nearly 15 mb/d of crude oil—almost 34% of global crude oil trade—passed through the strait, with most of the exports headed for Asia.
Strangely, Iran will play all three of its Group G matches in the US, utilising SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Lumen Field. But the team’s base camp is located in Tijuana, Mexico because the US said it doesn’t want to host the Iranians. So, the team will fly into the US a day before their opening match against New Zealand and two days before their following two group-stage fixtures, and return to Mexico after each game.
Even by World Cup standards, this is crazy. The tournament has seen everything from spitting , biting, assaults, walk-offs, matches being called battles, and Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’. Yet, this is going to be the Cup of Firsts.
The collision of sports and geopolitics has happened before, but not at this scale. The 1934 World Cup is primarily remembered as a showcase for Italy’s Benito Mussolini and his fascist government.
In a sense, Trump is also attempting to boost his image and legacy through his association with high-profile sporting events. He’ll hold a UFC bout on the South Lawn of the White House this month. It all culminates with the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, the final year of Trump’s presidency.
The 1938 tournament bears perhaps an even closer resemblance to the current global situation. By the time the tournament started, Germany had already annexed Austria -- it led to the latter withdrawing from the tournament -- and Spain couldn’t participate because they were still in the thick of their own Civil War.
It didn’t end there though. There were ugly on-field scenes when defending champions Italy chose to wear black shirts over their traditional blue in the quarterfinal against France, even giving the fascist salute to the crowd before kick-off.
In 1978, Argentina used the hosting opportunity to promote its brutal government. Political opponents, real or perceived, disappeared in waves. Just Google “Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo”.
Most of the world is currently torn between the right and left but in football, you’ve got to use both wings if you want to win games. It is in every sense a team game where fandom has not always been driven by nationality. Intangibles like style and heart are what truly matter.
Infantino’s way with words didn’t end with the quote above.
“For the first time in 250 years of history of the United States of America, well, you will not just be invaded but you will be conquered,” he said in November 2025 to the audience at the National Conference of Mayors that didn’t really know how to react.
“You will be conquered by soccer,” he added, in an attempt to land the joke.
Football may still become the “happiness provider”, but it’s going to take some doing.
