World Cup 2026: Soft Power and Security Take Center Stage

World Cup 2026 coverage depicts the tournament as a global diplomacy stage, with nations using the event to showcase soft power, promote tourism, and coordinate security. Highlights include New Zealand’s LA-based diplomatic push, Iran’s travel restrictions, Spain’s tensions with Trump over Iran and geopolitical issues, Japan’s embassy watch-party for cultural outreach, Croatia’s tourism and celebrity-backed branding, and Curaçao’s inclusion in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The U.S. relies on a sprawling network of command centers from New York to Arlington to manage security, while visa decisions and local costs spur debates about the tournament’s broader impact.