Football, power and politics: The World Cup beyond the pitch

The Fifa World Cup has never really existed in a political vacuum. Long before debates over travel bans or immigration policies, the tournament had already become a stage where governments projected power, shaped national identity and sought international legitimacy.

Undoubtedly, politics hasn't only recently entered the World Cup.

1973

One of the earliest examples came in 1973. Chile was due to face the Soviet Union in a World Cup qualifying playoff at Santiago's National Stadium.

But the Soviet Union refused to play.

Days earlier, Chile's military dictatorship under Augusto Pinochet had turned the stadium into a detention centre where thousands of political prisoners were held, tortured and in many cases, executed after the military coup.

Fifa refused to move the match. The Soviet Union stayed away. Chile walked onto the pitch alone, scored into an empty goal and qualified for the 1974 World Cup.

1978

 Politics again overshadowed football in Argentina five years later.

The country hosted the 1978 World Cup while its military dictatorship was carrying out the "Dirty War", a campaign of state repression that led to the disappearance and killing of an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 people.

Only a short distance from Buenos Aires' Estadio Monumental, where Argentina lifted the trophy, detainees were being tortured inside the ESMA naval school.

For the junta, the World Cup became a powerful propaganda tool to project an image of normalcy to the world despite widespread human rights abuses.

1982

 The 1982 World Cup in Spain also faced political conflicts.

Just weeks before the tournament, Britain and Argentina fought the "Falklands War".

There were concerns over whether political tensions would affect participation. Argentina surrendered before the tournament began.

Four years later, those memories resurfaced when Diego Maradona scored the famous "Hand of God" goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final.

1990

 War reshaped another World Cup cycle in the early 1990s.

Following the breakup of Yugoslavia and the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars, the United Nations imposed sanctions on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Fifa and Uefa suspended the national team from international competitions between 1992 and 1994. As a result, Yugoslavia missed qualification for the 1994 World Cup.

1998

 At the 1998 World Cup in France, Iran beat the United States in one of the tournament's most politically charged matches.

Before kickoff, Iranian players presented white flowers to their American counterparts and posed together for a team photograph, an image that contrasted sharply with decades of hostility between the two governments.

Back home, the victory sparked huge celebrations and was embraced by the Iranian authorities as a national triumph.

2006

 Germany's 2006 World Cup highlighted another challenge.

Ahead of the tournament, authorities faced concerns over rising neo-Nazi activity and racist violence.

German police closely monitored extremist groups, while courts blocked several planned demonstrations linked to far-right organisations during the competition.

2014

 In Brazil, months before the tournament, mass protests erupted across the country.

Demonstrators criticised billions of dollars spent on new stadiums while public services such as healthcare, education and housing remained underfunded.

For many Brazilians, the World Cup became a symbol of misplaced government priorities rather than national celebration.

2018

 Four years later, Russia hosted the tournament despite international criticism following its 2014 annexation of Crimea, as well as concerns over human rights and anti-LGBTQ policies.

The competition itself ran smoothly, but debate over whether major sporting events should be awarded to governments facing serious human rights allegations continued throughout the tournament.

2022

 The same questions intensified in Qatar in 2022.

The Gulf state faced sustained criticism over the treatment of migrant workers who built World Cup infrastructure.

Human rights organisations also condemned restrictions on LGBTQ rights.

Fifa's decision to stop several European captains from wearing the "OneLove" armband added to the controversy.

Separately, US prosecutors had previously alleged that officials accepted bribes connected to Qatar's successful World Cup bid, allegations that Qatari officials have repeatedly denied.

2026

The debate has continued into 2026. The tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, is taking place alongside geopolitical tensions, immigration disputes and security concerns.

The Trump administration's travel restrictions have affected fans from several qualified nations.

Iran's team has been based in Mexico because of restrictions on its stay in the US, although US authorities later eased some of those rules after complaints from the Iranian federation.

The World Cup always remains one of the biggest celebrations because it brings together national identities, governments, histories and global audiences.

That is precisely why political leaders have repeatedly tried to use it, weaponise it and why activists have repeatedly tried to challenge them through it.

Pretending otherwise does not keep politics out of football; it only overlooks the role politics has always played.