About this episode
This episode discusses the geopolitical issues surrounding the upcoming World Cup in North America amidst ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
This summer's World Cup in North America is the biggest in size and scale and now, arguably, the most controversial. The tournament kicks off in less than 40 days. Co-hosts USA remain at war with Iran, with fellow Middle East participants and historic allies drawn into the conflict - and FIFA caught in the middle. Travel bans, political protests and fears over ICE guarantee a turbulent countdown. This special episode of The Athletic FC hears from players, coaches, fans, regional experts and human rights advocates on the geopolitical backdrop to World Cup 2026. Presenter: Adam Leventhal Producer: Paul Iliffe Audio from: AP, BBC, The Guardian, Reuters, FIFA, England Records, beIN, C-SPAN Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Host: Adam Leventhal
Topics covered
- World Cup
- geopolitics
- Iran
- sports controversy
- human rights
- political protests
Keywords
- World Cup
- geopolitics
- Iran
- FIFA
- human rights
- political protests
- North America
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: FIFA, AP, BBC, The Guardian, Reuters, England Records, beIN, C-SPAN
Places: North America, Iran, Middle East
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- David Ornstein's World Cup transfer watchlist · June 8, 2026 · 38 min
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