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Experts available on the broader impacts of the FIFA World Cup

Ethics, Canadian identity, social impacts and more

 June 08, 2026
Soccer player holding a trophy

 June 08, 2026

The FIFA World Cup runs June 11 to July 19, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The following experts are available to media for comment on the wider impact of the games.

Adam Ali
Assistant Professor, Kinesiology

• Human rights and sport
• Racism, sexism and sport
• Sportswashing
• Sport and colonialism
• Sport and geopolitics
• Sport and Canadian identity

Oğuzhan ‘Ozzy’ Keleş
PhD candidate, Kinesiology

• Historical and cultural dimensions of soccer in the Middle East, Europe, United States and Canada
• Development of soccer in North America
• Sportswashing

Laura Misener
Frank Hayden Endowed Research Chair in Sport and Social Impact; Director and Professor, Kinesiology

• Social impact of mega sporting events
• Sport events and social change
• Sport governance
• Global sport leadership
• Safe sport practices

Angela Schneider
Director, International Centre for Olympic Studies; Professor, Kinesiology

• FIFA and ethics
• Athletes’ rights
• Sport medicine ethics
• Genetic doping in sport

Georgia Teare
Assistant Professor, Kinesiology

• Social impact of sports
• Demonstration effect (spectators being inspired by elite sport to participate themselves)

Noah Eliot Vanderhoeven
PhD Candidate, Political Science

• Sport and nation building
• Sport and social justice causes
• Sportswashing
• Sport and politics

MEDIA CONTACT: Jacquelyn Mitchell, Media Relations Officer, Western University, (226) 386-9683, j.mitchell@uwo.ca

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