Colonialism On and Off the Pitch: How the 2026 World Cup Reveals Football’s Colonial Legacy
In this Brief, Omar Elsharkawy examines the social, environmental, and political costs of hosting the World Cup, from its impacts on Indigenous communities to football’s entanglement with colonialism, capitalism, and exclusion, while highlighting how Indigenous and grassroots football movements are reclaiming the game as a tool for resistance, healing, and decolonization.