The football World Cup is back. For a month, billions of people around the world will watch the best national teams compete. The streets are filled with uniforms, restaurants and bars become meeting places for fans, and public spaces transform into arenas of collective cheer. This scene is familiar. But behind the sports competition, there is another competition that is much less visible but politically no less important. That is politics staging and owning this event.
An insightful example related to this can be found in the city of Mulhouse in Alsace. Mayor Frédéric Marcké announced the creation of a public fan zone for the 2026 World Cup, presenting the event not merely as a sports side event but as a tool for social cohesion and a signal to the younger generation. The intention is understandable, yet at the same time it shows a trend observed over the years – that major sports events are increasingly becoming platforms for political communication.
The Symbolic Power of Sports
Political decision-makers have long realized how powerful a unifying force sports success can be. The victory of a national team evokes a shared emotion stronger than many political campaigns. Football creates an opportunity to share identity beyond social, cultural, and political boundaries. This is precisely why politics pays attention to sports.
The fan zone, visited by many citizens, shows the lively image of the city. Public broadcasts symbolize closeness to the citizens. Videos of people enjoying themselves in front of large screens are very suitable for social media, local publicity materials, and political communication. Sports provide positive emotions, high levels of interest, and a rare form of social cohesion, which is an especially attractive resource in a polarized era.
An International Phenomenon
This phenomenon is not limited to France. The United States, Canada, and Mexico, hosts of the 2026 World Cup, are investing significant funds in side events, fan festivals, and creating places for public gatherings. Officially, they value community experience and football enthusiasm, but at the same time, these projects act as means for regional promotion, city marketing, and political self-expression.
Major sporting events have always been closely connected to political interests. From the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the 1978 Argentina World Cup, to the recent 2022 Qatar World Cup controversies, history shows that sports and politics are not separate worlds. The 2026 World Cup is no exception. This time, political use at the regional level is clearly visible rather than managing the international image of a single country.
Between Community and Self-Expression
Therefore, the key question is not whether politics uses sports events, but how it uses them.
Basically, there is little reason for cities and local governments to oppose organizing fan zones. Such events create meeting spaces, promote the local dining industry, and allow those with limited financial means to participate in collective experiences. In an era of deepening social divisions, shared public experiences can make a positive contribution.
The problem arises when symbolic politics replace actual policy. Fan zones can foster community but do not solve structural problems. They do not improve the quality of education, reduce youth unemployment, or decrease social inequality. If political communication gives the impression that large events can solve social issues, a gap emerges between the staging and the reality.
Attention Economy
The World Cup today acts as a huge attention generator. Sponsors use it for product marketing, media companies compete for ratings and advertising revenues, and digital platforms profit from global discussions. Political actors try to link their messages to the emotional dynamics of the tournament.
This does not necessarily mean manipulation. Rather, politics follows the same mechanisms as other social actors. Those seeking attention focus on issues that move people. Football is certainly one of those.
Nevertheless, a critical perspective is necessary. The greater the emotional impact of the event, the greater the temptation to exploit that influence for one’s own purposes. The boundary between legitimate civic communication and political self-presentation is often ambiguous.
When North American stadiums are filled in the summer of 2026, and millions of fans around the world cheer in front of their screens, sports competition will be at the center. However, what happens outside the stadium—in fan zones, public events, and appeals for social cohesion—will tell a different story. It is a story about politics, communication, and public perception.
Football is a festival of emotions. Precisely for that reason, it has been a key tool of political staging for decades. The 2026 World Cup will powerfully demonstrate how closely intertwined these two realms are.
Author: P. Tiko