Title of theSpain celebratedin Gaza, boos for Trump and Infantino: until the last game, the2026 World Cupwas marked by geopolitical issues. ToBdF Interview, sports historian Aira Bonfim analyzed the impacts of spectacularization, the rise of betting and the phenomenon of the "children of the diaspora" on the pitch, which sparked debates about racism.
"The sporting act is political, and in a mega-event of this magnitude, where every step, every strategy, every decision, every red card, it is equally political and becomes intensely discussed on social media," she highlights.
According to Bonfim, the current FIFA model prioritizes commercialization over the sporting experience and the treatment given to teams and fans. She describes this edition as a "collection of frustrations."
The historian points out that the choice of the United States as the main host reflects FIFA's desire to modernize the spectacle through purely economic logic, which includes expanding the number of teams and creating hydration breaks that also serve as commercial breaks.
"Increasing the number [of selections], extending the event by one week, you notice that the intent is not geopolitical, but it is exclusively an economic intent," he assesses.
The competition also exposed political tensions, from humiliating magazines to African players, to the ban on the entry ofSomali referee Omar Abdulkadir ArtanIn the U.S. Another notable point of the edition was the significant increase in athletes children of immigrants, especially in European teams, which the researcher calls "diasporas on the field." She states that nearly half of the current team compositions have migratory or refugee origins, challenging nationalist purity discourses from the far right.
"This becomes very clear within this context and a context that is not disconnected from reality, especially in these major nations, these major economic centers, like Europe, where the far right has tarnished and sparked a debate about a false nationalist identification, as if there were an ideal national phenotype or being against immigrant communities, refugee communities, while these dividing walls of what it means to be or not be a nation are, today, extremely contradictory. The composition of these nations is made up of people who move, either obligatorily, out of necessity, or as a life choice. So, there is no such purity defended by some political groups that, indeed, have risen to power," he emphasizes.
Regarding the choice of players to represent the countries of their parents or grandparents, the historian sees it as a political act. "Certainly, I think it is a moment to bring visibility to these nations. The diaspora is a violence when you are forced to leave, but the diasporic culture is how you transform your original culture from where you are," she argues.
Another aspect addressed in the interview was the omnipresence ofbetting houses, the famous betsThe text: , in advertisements during the competition and in the media broadcasting the games. Aira Bonfim describes the situation as a "red alert", especially regarding the impact on children who grow up associating football with gambling, and, more recently, even with sponsorships linked to prostitution, referring to the recent agreement.Involving Corinthians and Fatal FansText: Adult content platform. She argues that this "poisoning" by capital affects both the private and public spheres.
Today, in São Paulo, if you take a public bus, the seats on these buses are adorned with advertisements for bets directly linked to a sponsorship deal with the São Paulo City Hall. When you alight at a bus terminal, you'll also see promotional panels for bets that have been authorized in partnership with the City Hall. So, it's not just the private sector that's tainted, but also the public sector. As we debate whether there can be football without bets in national championships, I believe we'll soon see city halls and public orders considering their sponsorships or financial resource relationships, saying the same. In other words, we have a need for scrutiny that should be applied in every aspect of our society, including the public realm.
Check out the full interview below:
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O show will air from Monday to Friday at 4 p.m. on Rádio Brasil de Fato, 98.9 FM in Greater São Paulo.BdF InterviewIt airs on the radio station Rádio Brasil de Fato, 98.9 FM in Greater São Paulo.Brazil's Radio Fato98.9 FM in Greater São Paulo.