# The Ugly Politics of the Beautiful Game

- Link: https://instituteforglobalaffairs.org/2026/07/the-ugly-politics-of-the-beautiful-game/
- Published: 2026-07-08T14:00:47-04:00

### Alex Shephard on greed, corruption, and the enduring magic of the World Cup

The World Cup is heating up here in the United States as teams head into the quarter
finals. It has had its fair share of controversies: immigration crackdowns, exorbitant
ticket prices, and a cozy relationship between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and
President Trump. But this year’s tournament has also provided some of the most magical
and memorable moments in World Cup history. 

In this episode, the [Institute for Global Affairs](https://instituteforglobalaffairs.org/)’
Jonathan Guyer is joined by Alex Shephard, senior editor at _The New Republic. _He
is also a co-founder of _Golden Goal_, a magazine dedicated to the 2026 World Cup
in all its glory and complexity. They discuss what is shaping up to be the most 
lucrative tournament in World Cup history, greed and corruption at FIFA, and why,
despite some ugly realities, the beautiful game continues to unite the world.

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**Alex Shephard** is a senior editor at _The New Republic_, where he has covered
politics and culture since 2015, and avid soccer fan. He is a co-founder and editor
of _Golden Goal_, a digital and print publication dedicated to the 2026 World Cup.
His writing has also appeared in _New York Magazine_, _GQ_, _The Atlantic_, and 
_The Nation_, among others. 

Find Alex on X: [https://x.com/alex_shephard](https://x.com/alex_shephard)  

Check out _Golden Goal_: [https://goldengoal.world/](https://goldengoal.world/) 

Read Alex’s latest piece about the World Cup: [https://newrepublic.com/article/212736/trump-world-cup-balogun-red-card-fifa](https://newrepublic.com/article/212736/trump-world-cup-balogun-red-card-fifa)