Neither soft nor hard: did meso power just make its World Cup debut? Trump's Balogun intervention opened up a new front in the projection of power in sport substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Who won the World Cup's city soft power battle? New York and Los Angeles went head-to-head, but lost out to an unlikely rival substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Latest from @forbes.com Which Team Has Won The Soft Power World Cup? forbes.com/sites/simonc... Latest from #Geosport Who have been the World Cup’s soft power losers? substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social

Why Asian Nations Struggled At The 2026 World Cup Japan went furthest but hit a glass ceiling, Saudi Arabia stumbled at the first hurdle, whilst Iran didn't even stand a chance substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

The Business of the FIFA World Cup (2nd edition) is now available to buy www.routledge.com/The-Business...

Geosport shorts: Donald Trump has broken his soccer silence, what does it mean? U.S president said very little during the World Cup's early stages, but now he's back and seemingly more bellicose than ever substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Brazil fails to deliver the promised brand — again! Much-loved country's World Cup exit betrays the national and international challenges it faces substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

From ambushers to sportswashers, this has been a World Cup full of distractions How the tournament has been used to influence your thoughts and behaviours substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Folarin Balogun, MAGA and the neoliberalisation of football At a World Cup of dynamic ticket pricing and hydration breaks, deals not rules also now govern red card decisions substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Morocco and the World Cup: "Football's coming home" National team success is no accident, as government seeks to project the country's power and influence substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

What World Cup teams, fans and sponsors reveal about nation branding How people feel about countries is being shaped by an array of strategies substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Geosport shorts: Where did all the activists go? How the World Cup has become a tournament of silent football substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

How a safe bet football tournament became a seismic geopolitical event Back in 2010, when the U.S. failed to win its 2022 World Cup bid, things were very different substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Geosport shorts: The geopolitical economy of Lionel Messi How Argentina's star player embodies the changes that his country and football are going through substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

The World Cup's AI Divide: Who Gets “Smart Football” — and on Whose Terms? substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social @sufiya.bsky.social #Geosport

Is China still on course to be a leading FIFA nation by 2050? On-field performances are not the only measure of success substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Geosport shorts: Oasis versus Viking boats - the messages and meaning of post-match celebrations What happens after World Cup matches reveals how countries see themselves substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

The Weaponisation of Everything - how geopolitics took over the World Cup From fashion collaborations to visa exclusions, the tournament has become a highly charged environment substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Geosport shorts: At the World Cup, everything from football and BTS to Palestine and Mexican mines is connected Our densely networked 21st-century world means that power, complexity and sensitivity surround us substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Under the wings of FIFA 2026: the Pamoja AFCON gets ready for its 2027 tournament hosting substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Geosport shorts: How the World Cup has become part of a sport-military convergence Industry stakeholders are increasingly engaged in sponsorships, partner deals and other types of relationships with sport substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

England v Croatia? It seems like an appropriate day to announce that Ivan Tomić and I have just co-authored this new book on Sport Diplomacy - an England & Croatia collaboration!!! Further details via www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/1... Publication later this year

How AI is remaking the World Cup - and what football risks losing in the process substack.com/home/post/p-...

Geosport shorts: The FIFA World Cup gets 'celebrified' Stadiums have been turned into a who's who of actors, musicians and other well-known people substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Geosport shorts: Only here for the beer How alcohol taxes during the World Cup have been deployed by the Ecuadorian government substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Geosport shorts: China has fallen in love with 'Ha Baby' Erling Haaland, the 'Nordic Cyborg' The Norwegian has become a social media sensation and a commercial giant substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Geosport shorts: Are stadium walks authentic or spectacularised? Bosnian and Canadian fans caused a stir ahead of their match against each other substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport

Gambling brands, prediction market platforms & fossil fuel brands are all on display at the WC Deals may generate much-needed revenues, but with what social implications? Financially imperative though socially undesirable? A new age of sport sponsorship sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

India still habouring football hopes despite the national team's World Cup absence substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social Nnamdi Madichie #Geosport

From Saudi Arabia to Morocco, MENA's influence on the World Cup continues to grow With more qualifying nations than ever before and two World Cups ahead, the region is increasingly prominent both on and off the field substack.com/home/post/p-... @paulwiddop.bsky.social #Geosport