The World Cup and sport’s growing responsibility in a fragmented world.

By Matt Sutton – Director

Can an organisation deliver the most commercially successful tournament in history and still damage its reputation in the process?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup may provide the answer.

On the pitch, it promises to be the biggest World Cup ever staged. More teams. More matches. Bigger audiences. Record revenues.

Yet while the football itself is likely to produce moments that will be remembered for decades, questions about politics, borders, migration, security and national identity are already shaping perceptions of the tournament before a ball has even been kicked.

That raises a broader question that extends far beyond sport.

For much of the modern era, success was relatively easy to define. Organisations delivered against operational objectives, achieved commercial targets and measured outcomes accordingly.

Today, that definition feels increasingly incomplete.

The 2026 World Cup may prove commercially successful by almost every traditional metric. FIFA is expected to generate record revenues. Sponsors will reach global audiences measured in the billions. Host cities will welcome millions of visitors and enjoy unprecedented international exposure.

Yet it is entirely possible for the tournament to achieve those objectives while simultaneously creating reputational liabilities that outlive the event itself.

That is because the environment surrounding major sporting events has changed. The challenge for FIFA is no longer simply delivering a sporting spectacle. It is maintaining legitimacy in an increasingly fragmented world.

As the tournament kicked off last week, debates around visa access, immigration enforcement, international participation and diplomatic tensions demonstrate how quickly issues beyond sport can become part of the sporting conversation. The World Cup was originally presented as a celebration of North American unity. Instead, it is unfolding against a backdrop of geopolitical tension, domestic political division and competing national priorities.

The challenge is not that these issues exist. It is that different stakeholders increasingly expect organisations to respond to them in different ways.

If FIFA speaks, it risks alienating some audiences. If it remains silent, it risks alienating others. If it prioritises commercial relationships, questions may be raised about values and legitimacy. If it takes a more activist position, it risks accusations of political intervention.

In other words, the scope of success and failure has widened.

What once might have been judged solely through commercial and operational outcomes is now assessed through political, societal and reputational lenses simultaneously.

Sport is not unique in this regard. Across sectors, organisations are operating in increasingly contested environments where stakeholder expectations diverge and traditional definitions of success are under pressure. The challenge is no longer simply delivering results. It is maintaining trust and legitimacy while doing so.

The lesson from the World Cup is not that sport has become too political. It is that influence inevitably brings greater scrutiny and higher expectations.

As the tournament unfolds, attention will naturally focus on goals, results and trophies. Yet one of the more interesting questions may concern how it is ultimately remembered. Because in an increasingly fragmented world, commercial success and reputational success can no longer be assumed to be the same thing.

The changing nature of global sport means changing expectations for organisations involved in it. We can help you understand shifting stakeholder pressures, navigate reputational risk and engage effectively in complex political and commercial environments. Get in touch to find out more.