What the World Cup Reveals About Global Politics (w/ Franklin Foer)

As the World Cup kicks off, what can soccer tell us about the state of the world? Franklin Foer, author of “How Soccer Explains the World,” joins the show to discuss why the world's most popular sport remains one of the best lenses for understanding nationalism, globalization, identity, and political power. More than twenty years after the book's original publication, Foer reflects on how globalization reshaped the game, why national identity remains a powerful force, and what the World Cup reveals about today's geopolitical landscape. Topics covered:  Why globalization often strengthened nationalism rather than weakened it The possibility of a U.S.-Iran World Cup showdown on American soil The roles of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and the growing intersection of sports and geopolitics President Trump’s relationship with FIFA Subscribe to The Long Game on Substack for exclusive video content, transcripts, and more. This week, paid subscribers receive the inaugural edition of The Wrap, where Jake and Jon share what they're reading, revisit something they may have gotten wrong, and discuss the issues they're watching most closely. Follow The Long Game so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop weekly. Show notes are available here. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube. Transcript here. Email Jake and Jon at longgame@voxmedia.com. The Long Game is produced by the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices