Soccer, States, and Soft Power: A World Cup Roundup

POLITICO’s World Cup live updates thread surveys how the tournament blends sport with diplomacy and national branding: from a Japanese embassy watch party for Japan’s 2-2 tie with the Netherlands to visa/security debates, U.S. logistics in New York–New Jersey, a Croatian tourism event in Virginia, royal diplomacy in the Netherlands’ sphere, and broader discussions of tourism and corruption data—all illustrating how soccer becomes a vehicle for soft power, security planning, and image-building during the 2026 World Cup.