Sports and the Strait of Hormuz with Laleh Khalili  episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 23, 2026 · 1H 5M

Sports and the Strait of Hormuz with Laleh Khalili 

from The End of Sport · host The End of Sport

This episode of The End of Sport features Laleh Khalili, a professor of Gulf studies, discussing the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, the global shipping crisis, and the intersection of geopolitics and sports amid ongoing conflicts. We explore the history of key maritime chokepoints, the impact of war on seafarers, and how sports serve as a form of resistance and cultural identity. Laleh Khalili is Professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and author of many books including  Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula (Verso 2020), The Corporeal Life of Seafaring (Mack Books 2024), and Extractive Capitalism: How Commodities and Cronyism Drive the Global Economy (Profile Books 2025). Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Crisis in Global Shipping05:53 Historical Context of the Strait of Hormuz11:57 The Nature of the Current Conflict18:07 Impact on Seafarers and Global Trade23:50 Short and Medium-Term Economic Effects29:57 The Future of Global Political Economy and Sports33:35 The Impact of Tourism and Ticket Prices on the World Cup36:15 Iranian Nationalism and the World Cup40:29 Concerns Over Player Safety and Political Implications41:59 The Political Economy of Football in the UK49:45 The Role of Women's Football and Cultural Significance55:38 Palestinian Identity and Resistance Through Sport Keywords: Strait of Hormuz, global shipping crisis, geopolitics, sports and resistance, Middle East, oil trade, US-Iran conflict, Palestinian sports, maritime security, economic impact Hosts in this episode: Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Priyansh________________________________________Support & Follow The End of SportPatreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/Theendofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Support the show!)Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endofsportpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endofsportpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@EndofSportPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The End of Sport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen, share, and support The End of Sport, a proud member of the Harbinger Media Network, a community of over sixty leftist podcasts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠harbingermedianetwork.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

This episode of The End of Sport features Laleh Khalili, a professor of Gulf studies, discussing the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, the global shipping crisis, and the intersection of geopolitics and sports amid ongoing conflicts. We explore the history of key maritime chokepoints, the impact of war on seafarers, and how sports serve as a form of resistance and cultural identity. Laleh Khalili is Professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and author of many books including  Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula (Verso 2020), The Corporeal Life of Seafaring (Mack Books 2024), and Extractive Capitalism: How Commodities and Cronyism Drive the Global Economy (Profile Books 2025). Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Crisis in Global Shipping05:53 Historical Context of the Strait of Hormuz11:57 The Nature of the Current Conflict18:07 Impact on Seafarers and Global Trade23:50 Short and Medium-Term Economic Effects29:57 The Future of Global Political Economy and Sports33:35 The Impact of Tourism and Ticket Prices on the World Cup36:15 Iranian Nationalism and the World Cup40:29 Concerns Over Player Safety and Political Implications41:59 The Political Economy of Football in the UK49:45 The Role of Women's Football and Cultural Significance55:38 Palestinian Identity and Resistance Through Sport Keywords: Strait of Hormuz, global shipping crisis, geopolitics, sports and resistance, Middle East, oil trade, US-Iran conflict, Palestinian sports, maritime security, economic impact Hosts in this episode: Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Priyansh________________________________________Support & Follow The End of SportPatreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/Theendofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Support the show!)Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endofsportpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endofsportpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@EndofSportPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The End of Sport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen, share, and support The End of Sport, a proud member of the Harbinger Media Network, a community of over sixty leftist podcasts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠harbingermedianetwork.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Sports and the Strait of Hormuz with Laleh Khalili 

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This episode of The End of Sport features Laleh Khalili, a professor of Gulf studies, discussing the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, the global shipping crisis, and the intersection of geopolitics and sports amid ongoing conflicts. We...

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