The World Cup paradox
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Leaders | Our cover<br>The World Cup paradox<br>How the rules of both entertainment and soft power are being rewritten<br>Share
Illustration: Maria Contreras
Jun 10th 2026|5 min read
WITH LYRICS in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese, the theme tune of the men’s World Cup, performed at its opening ceremony on June 11th, exemplifies the contest’s claim to foster global unity. Nearly half the world is expected to tune in over the coming weeks as the tournament moves towards its final on the outskirts of New York. A viewer might come away with two conclusions. First, that entertainment culture is more globalised than ever. Second, that America remains the soft-power superpower at the centre of it all.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “A World Cup paradox”
From the June 13th 2026 edition<br>Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents<br>⇒Explore the edition
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