Welcome to Power Plays

Behind your favorite sport, there is always something else at play.Power Plays is a new investigative podcast from the Human Rights Foundation hosted by sports journalist and HRF Sports and Dictators Program Lead Karim Zidan, exposing how authoritarian regimes weaponize sports for political influence.Season 1 explores the regimes that have exploited the FIFA World Cup over the last century, from Italy’s fascists in 1934, to Argentina’s military junta in 1978, to Russia’s kleptocratic police state in 2018, to Qatar’s monarchy built on the backs of exploited migrant workers in 2022. We also look ahead to the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, which will be hosted — and used — by authoritarian regimes in Morocco and Saudi Arabia.Power Plays reveals what’s happening beyond the headlines. Whether you like football or geopolitics — whether you plan to watch the World Cup or turn it off in protest — these stories matter.