The Global Story: World Cup 2026: The most political of all time?
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.3K Ratings
🗓️ 31 May 2026
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Politics, power and money have always been part of international sporting competitions, and football (or soccer) is no exception.
However, this year’s World Cup faces new challenges. The United States is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, and its relationship with its neighbours has at times been rocky. Two countries at war with each other – the US and Iran – have never played in the same competition before. Some fans are anxious about travelling to games at a time of high tension. And the cost of attending the event has led some to ask whether this World Cup is really worth it.
Mehreen Khan, economics editor of The Times of London and a lifelong fan of the sport, joins us to discuss what this World Cup could mean for a divided world.
The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.
Producers: Cat Farnsworth and Aron Keller
Executive producer: James Shield
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: FIFA World Cup on display in Toronto. Credit: Kevin Sousa/ Imagn Images
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:07.5 | We definitely do not have quiet days anymore in American politics. |
| 0:12.5 | Our podcast will help you cut through all the noise. |
| 0:15.9 | Make sense of what's happening in the US, with new podcast episodes arriving throughout the week. |
| 0:20.8 | AmeriCast, Listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:24.3 | Hey there, I'm Asma Khalid. |
| 0:26.4 | And I'm Tristan Redmond, and we're here with a bonus episode for you from the Global Story |
| 0:30.8 | podcast. The world order is shifting. Old alliances are fraying and new ones are emerging. |
| 0:37.8 | Some of this turbulence can be traced to decisions made in the United States. |
| 0:42.0 | But the U.S. isn't just a cause of the upheaval. |
| 0:45.2 | Its politics are also a symptom of it. |
| 0:48.4 | Every day we focus on one story, looking at how America and the world shape each other. |
| 0:53.7 | So we hope you enjoy this episode. |
| 0:55.6 | And to find more of our show, just search for The Global Story, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. |
| 1:03.3 | It's June 1998 in the French city of Lyon. |
| 1:11.5 | Two football teams, or soccer teams, if you like, |
| 1:14.6 | have gathered for what's being called probably the most politically charged match |
| 1:19.6 | in the history of the World Cup. |
| 1:23.9 | Iran are about to play the USA in the group stages of the 1998 tournament. |
| 1:30.9 | And in Lyon, the fans sound pretty chilled. |
| 1:34.4 | It's all about football and nothing to do with politics. |
| 1:36.3 | You know, the politicians screwed up the relations between the two countries 20 years ago, |
... |
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