Politics on the pitch: geopolitical tensions shaping the World Cup episode artwork

EPISODE · May 8, 2026 · 25 MIN

Politics on the pitch: geopolitical tensions shaping the World Cup

from The Big Story · host Devang Desai, Aaron Ettinger

As Canada gears up for soccer's most exciting time, we can't help but notice the dark cloud that looms over the World Cup. The current geopolitical reality on the global scale - whether it's the Iran-US/Israel war, the violent fallout after the death of Mexican drug lord El Mencho, immigration crackdowns throughout the US - has stirred real safety concerns for the more than 100 games across the three countries. Guest host Devang Desai speaks to Aaron Ettinger, political science professor at Carleton University to discuss the intersection of sports and politics, how US President Trump uses international sporting events to his own advantage, and the role of FIFA. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 8, 2026

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As Canada gears up for soccer's most exciting time, we can't help but notice the dark cloud that looms over the World Cup. The current geopolitical reality on the global scale - whether it's the Iran-US/Israel war, the violent fallout after the death of Mexican drug lord El Mencho, immigration crackdowns throughout the US - has stirred real safety concerns for the more than 100 games across the three countries. Guest host Devang Desai speaks to Aaron Ettinger, political science professor at Carleton University to discuss the intersection of sports and politics, how US President Trump uses international sporting events to his own advantage, and the role of FIFA.

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Politics on the pitch: geopolitical tensions shaping the World Cup

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