List of Sports articles
-
A Saudi man wearing a white traditional headdress walks past a framed Andy Warhol artwork. Saudi Arabia Really Wants You to Think It’s Cool
The desert kingdom’s rebranding project goes way beyond sportswashing. But it’s all a little too contrived.
-
Soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo runs across the grass on a pitch as he celebrates a goal. Ronaldo's arms are outstretched, and he sticks out his tongue as he looks up at the crowd in the stands. The Gulf Is Playing Hardball With European Soccer
Critics say petrodollars are wrecking the beautiful game—in a way that rubles, euros, and baht never quite did.
-
A wide view of a soccer stadium in Istanbul shows the crowd and the VIP box, where the presidents of Turkey and the United Arab Emirates sit beside each other while watching the match. Erdogan and Europe Are Stuck in a Draw
The Turkish president won reelection on an anti-Western platform. But he can’t quit European soccer.
-
Abraham Ancer of Mexico looks on during Day Four of the PIF Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on February 05, 2023 in Al Murooj, Saudi Arabia. The International Relations of Saudi Arabia’s Golf Empire
What the latest dealmaking in professional golf reveals about foreign policy.
-
The Air Ship, MJ Player Exclusive, Game-Worn Sneaker Nike, 1984, on display during a press preview at Christie's New York. Adam Tooze: How Nike Made a Killing on Basketball Shoes
A branding deal with Michael Jordan in the 1980s has made billions of dollars for the company.
-
China's ambassador to the Solomon Islands, Li Ming (R), and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (L) cut a ribbon during the opening ceremony of a China-funded national stadium complex in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The 2023 Pacific Games Wrap Small Countries in Big-Power Struggles
A Solomon Islands-hosted sporting event has become part of a China-West tussle.
-
The emblem of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is unveiled. What the World Cup Means Off the Field
Beneath the fanfare, Qatar 2022 had plenty of geopolitical subplots.
-
Karim Boudiaf of Qatar controls the ball during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A match between Qatar and Senegal at Al Thumama Stadium on Nov. 25. Team Qatar Wanted Immigrant Players—Not Citizens
Athletes with “mission passports” are a symptom of the region’s erosion of citizenship rights.
-
Fans hold a large banner featuring a Palestinian flag and the slogan "Free Palestine" in the stands. The Tragedy of Pro-Palestinian Activism at the World Cup
Protests at the World Cup are basically meaningless on the ground, where a conflict exists that has no solution.
-
Serbia's forward Dusan Vlahovic (L) and Serbia's midfielder Nemanja Gudelj take part in a training session at the Al Arabi SC on Dec. 1 on the eve of the Qatar 2022 World Cup match between Serbia and Switzerland in Doha. Why Switzerland vs. Serbia Is Really All About Kosovo
Serbia’s schadenfreude will be on display as the national team seeks revenge against a rival stacked with stars of Kosovar heritage.
-
Spectators hold portraits of former German national team soccer player Mesut Ozil during a World Cup match between Spain and Germany at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, on Nov. 27. Mesut Ozil’s Ghost Still Haunts Germany
Proposed citizenship reform offers a chance at redemption.
-
Australian midfielder Jackson Irvine, forward Awer Mabil, defender Milos Degenek, and midfielder Riley McGree celebrate after defeating Tunisia 1-0 at the World Cup at Al Janoub Stadium in al-Wakrah, Qatar, on Nov. 26. Australia’s World Cup Hopes Depend on Its Refugee Stars
Canberra has spent decades ostracizing asylum-seekers and detaining Africans and Asians fleeing war. Now, the national team needs them on the field.
-
Mehrdad Minavand of Iran in action during the World Cup first round match against the United States at the Stade Gerland in Lyon, France on June 21, 1998. Iran won the match 2-1. A U.S.-Iranian Standoff at the World Cup—and Beyond
Off the playing field, Iran’s protests and ongoing uranium enrichment have heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
-
A view of the 974 Stadium, built out of shipping containers, which will host matches during the World Cup, in the Ras Abu Aboud district of the Qatari capital Doha on Oct. 20. Don’t Ignore Qatar’s Progress on Labor
Critics of the World Cup host nation overlook the reforms the government has undertaken.
-
A woman walks past a promotional installation for this year's World Cup soccer tournament, which is being held in Qatar, at a shopping mall in Beijing on Nov. 17. Chinese Firms Are at the World Cup, but Not Chinese Fans
A soccer-loving nation is isolated from the global sport.
