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From KQED. Welcome to Forum. I'm Mina Kim. A January economist survey finds soccer has

surpassed baseball as America's third most popular sport. Great news for California, which is hoping

for an economic boon from hosting matches for the 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles and Santa Clara.

That's as long as political headwinds don't get in the way. Iran, which was supposed to play its first match in L.A., announced yesterday it would not take part in a World Cup in the country that killed its leader.

Add to that, the U.S. hasn't exactly been playing nice with its co-hosts,

Canada and Mexico, and travel bans and visa restrictions have already caused headaches for fans and some players.

But my guest, Roger Bennett, believes the unifying power of soccer will prevail over politics

and make for unforgettable matches. He's founder and

CEO of Men and Blazers Media Network, and his new book is We Are the World Cup. Roger, welcome to

Forum. Oh, me, it's a joy to be with you in KQED. Best thing from San Francisco

is Bob's Don. That is.

Well, first, Roger, can I just get your reaction to the Iran news?

Because I understand no qualified team has dropped from the tournament since like 1950.

Oh, you've got some good knowledge there.

Yeah, that was India in 1950.

And they did not participate for so many reasons.

But the fact that we go back to 1950 shows you how unprecedented this current reality is.

Look, I wrote this book because I believe that the World Cup is one of the most remarkable mirrors to the world that surrounds it.

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