As the United States prepares to host back-to-back FIFA World Cups and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, it is becoming something it long resisted: the hub of global sport. For decades, American sporting culture reflected a sense of exceptionalism and isolation—favoring games like baseball and American football, largely absent from the global stage. But that is rapidly changing.
Join the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, ASU’s Great Game Lab, and the School of Politics and Global Studies for an engaging conversation with Andrés Martinez, co-director of the Great Game Lab. Martinez will delve into how America’s growing embrace of the world’s game—football (soccer)—is influencing its soft power and cultural reach. Drawing on insights from his upcoming book, The Great Game, he’ll explore how this shift is transforming not only America’s role in global sports but also media, diplomacy, and geopolitics.
Date: This event was held on October 28, 2025 MST
Location: 1500 E Thomas Rd #105, Phoenix, AZ 85014