Soccer’s American Odyssey: Will the 2026 World Cup Bring the U.S. Closer to the World?

Soccer’s American Odyssey: Will the 2026 World Cup Bring the U.S. Closer to the World?

Sport was once a feature of our nation’s culture which accentuated American exceptionalism and isolationism. Yet the last half-century has seen the United States move from Pelé’s periphery to Messi’s semi-periphery in the ecosystem of the world’s most popular game. Is the U.S. now poised to become a core player in this international sporting community? How did we get here, and what does it mean for American's evolving engagement with the rest of the world? What should we expect as next summer’s World Cup approaches?

Join Dr. Andrei Markovits, a Great Game Lab Fellow and the Karl W. Deutsch Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Comparative Politics and German Studies and an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan, for a discussion about these questions. In addition to his many works on German and European politics, Dr. Markovits has co-authored important books on sports culture and its influence on politics and national identities, including Offside: Soccer and American Exceptionalism; Gaming the World: How Sports are Reshaping Global Politics and Culture; and Sportista: Female Fandom in the U.S.

Tuesday, Sept. 9th | 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m.

COOR Hall 6631, ASU Tempe Campus

Co-hosted by ASU's School of Politics and Global Studies and ASU's Great Game Lab

Light refreshments will be served.

Thank you for your interest in Soccer’s American Odyssey: Will the 2026 World Cup Bring the U.S. Closer to the World?.

Registration has closed for this event.

For information or questions,

Kayla Stamey

Program Coordinator

School of Politics & Global Studies

Arizona State University
email: kayla.stamey@asu.edu

web: spgs.asu.edu

Arizona State University

Arizona State University is a top ranked research university in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.

Tempe AZ 85281
480-965-2100