Flags Of Our Fans: Saying Goodbye and Saying Hello
One of the most indelible memories from this stateside World Cup was not taken on the field.
It was taking place in the public spaces and common grounds of metropolitain and rural America. A cultural exchange between international fans and American fans was taking place in every World Cup host city.
Suddenly, the residents of Lawrence, KS became honorary Algerians and the whole of Boston became annexed by Scotland.
It was the American public’s first taste to “sports diplomacy”, a tactic that has been used by governments to promote foreign policy goals by tapping into the international love of sport.
Unintentionally, sports fans were passing along cultures and traditions in a way that no government would have been able to do. Even more impactful, was the fact this was taking place during a time when the idea of “the other” is being ostracized.
For the final issue of this year long series, I sat down with multiple experts of sports diplomacy to explain this phenomenon and how more sports fans can practice sport diplomacy in future events going forward.
The summer of soccer may be over, but its impact may be long lasting...