REGISTRATION

The World Cup & The Politics of Football 101

Term:
April 27, 2026-June 1, 2026

Time(s):
Classes: Mondays 6:00pm-7:45pm Eastern on Zoom

Discussions: Thursdays 6:00pm-7:00pmEastern on Zoom

This six-week course examines the 2026 World Cup as a lens for understanding the political, cultural, and economic power of global football. Soccer functions as more than a sport; it an area where nationalism, race, colonialism, migration, and liberation struggles are expressed and contested. The curriculum traces FIFA’s history, the growth of women’s soccer, and the role of capitalism, media in transforming football into a global spectacle.

The course will analyze how international tournaments are used for diplomacy and “sportswashing, and state image-building. Guest speakers from the worlds of athletics, history, and sociology would provide diverse perspectives on football’s social and political impact.

We have timed this course to run until the start of The World Cup in June. Classes take place once per week on Monday evenings from 6:00-8:00pm EST, with an optional discussion session for those in the Discourse+ tiers on Thursdays 6:00-7:00pm EST.

Please note:

  1. The full syllabus is only for enrolled students and will be released 1 week prior to course start date

  2. Please ensure you are ready and able to take this course as all sales are final

Student Tiers

  • Supporter Tier - $200

    Access to class recordings only through the term of the course only (access will end one week after the last class)

    Register Now

  • Community Tier - $300

    Supporter Tier + access to live zoom classes and student chat

    Register Now

  • Discourse Tier - $500

    Community Tier + access to weekly small-group discussions

    Register Now

  • Anchor Tier - $700

    Discourse Tier + Signed Certificate of Completion + Support for 1 student

    Register Now

  • Mentorship Tier - $1000 (SOLD OUT)

    Anchor Tier + One 1:1 30-minute Feedback Session to discuss and garner feedback on a current project + providing scholarship for one Supporter Tier student

    SOLD OUT

  • Contibute

    Can’t take the class but want to support? Contributions go towards scholarships, operations, and guest lecturer fees.

    Contribute Here

THE FACULTY

Learn from those shaping the global conversation.

  • A woman with long curly black hair, wearing a white blazer, smiling at the camera in an indoor setting.

    Nicole Carr

    Pulitzer Prize Winner, Creator of The 1619 Project, The New York Times Magazine

  • Woman in a bright pink sleeveless turtleneck top smiling outdoors in a park with trees and grass.

    Maria Hinojosa

    Emmy Award-Winning Journalist and Founder, Futuro Media

  • Man in black suit speaking into a microphone at a public event with an audience.

    Mehdi Hasan

    Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Zeteo

  • David Goldblatt

    Writer, Journalist, and Visiting Professor at Pitzer College. Author of The Ball Is Round: A Global History of Football

  • Stefan Syzmanksi

    Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan. Co-Author of Soccernomics

  • Delroy Corinaldi

    Co-Founder, Black Footballers Partnership. Former Advisor to David Lammy MP

  • Selfie of a man taking a photo in a tall building with a city skyline and sunset in the background.

    Jake Adelstein

    Editor-in-Chief, The New York Times Magazine

  • A man standing in front of a wooden sign

    Jason Stanley

    Professor of Philosophy and Author, Yale University

  • Cas Mudde

    Political Scientist and Far-Right Scholar, University of Georgia

  • A woman smiling and holding a microphone on stage during a presentation or speech, with an audience in front of her in a dimly lit room.

    Versha Sharma

    Former Editor-in-Chief, Teen Vogue

  • A man with glasses, a beard, and curly hair speaking into a microphone at an event, with a man in a suit listening nearby, and a colorful abstract painting in the background.

    Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò

    Political Philosopher, Georgetown University

  • A man with short dark hair, wearing a dark jacket over a light collared shirt, posing against a dark background.

    Peter Beinart

    Political Commentator and Writer, The New York Times

  • Professional portrait of man with black hair, wearing a dark suit and white dress shirt, against a gray background.

    Michael Luo

    Executive Editor, The New Yorker Magazine

  • Close-up portrait of a woman with short, dreadlocked hair, wearing large hoop earrings, a beige knitted sweater, and a necklace, posing thoughtfully with her hand near her chin.

    Rokhaya Diallo

    Journalist and Antiracism Activist, Le Monde

  • Close-up of a smiling man with short dark hair, wearing a light-colored shirt and jacket, against a wooden background.

    Yousef Manayyer

    Political Analyst and Senior Fellow, Arab Center Washington DC

  • A confident woman with natural hair in a mustard yellow blouse standing in front of a bookshelf filled with books, a camera, and decorative items.

    Nanjala Nyabola

    Writer and Political Analyst, Independent