The wait is over — the 2026 FIFA World Cup is here. But as fans turn their attention to the action on the field, a different contest is already playing out off it.Visa restrictions, diplomatic disputes and geopolitical tensions have all cast a shadow over football's biggest tournament, raising questions about whether the World Cup can still be considered a truly global event. As the United States, Mexico and Canada welcome the world, we ask: Has the World Cup become a stage for global politics as much as sport? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Simon Chadwick, Professor of AfroEurasian Sport at Emlyon Business School in Lyon, to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The wait is over &mdash; the 2026 FIFA World Cup is here.&nbsp;But as fans turn their attention to the action on the field, a different contest is already playing out off it. Visa restrictions, diplomatic disputes and geopolitical tensions have all cast a shadow over football's biggest tournament, raising questions about whether the World Cup can still be considered a truly global event. As the United States, Mexico and Canada welcome the world, we ask: Has the World Cup become a stage for global politics as much as sport? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Simon Chadwick, Professor of AfroEurasian Sport at Emlyon Business School in Lyon, to find out more.&nbsp;See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

The Big Story: How political has the World Cup 2026 become?