In a recent post, we discussed how FIFA structures World Cup hosting arrangements so that downside risk is borne locally while control remains centralized. Municipal tax allocation provided a clear illustration; even where taxes are legally imposed on FIFA or its subsidiaries, host cities agree by contract to absorb the resulting cost.

In January 2026, former FIFA President Sepp Blatter joined growing calls for fans to boycott matches held in the United States during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His support reflected broader concerns over U.S. political conduct, immigration policies, and the treatment of migrants and protesters, with critics questioning whether the United States was an appropriate host for a global event intended to unify nations.

On January 13, 2026, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether Idaho and West Virginia can ban transgender athletes from women’s school sports teams. While the Court will address whether such bans discriminate based on sex in violation of Title IX and the Fourteenth Amendment, the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) isn’t waiting for an answer. It is already enforcing Title IX as requiring such bans, threatening over $300 billion in federal grants to coerce co

When a city is selected to host the FIFA World Cup, the announcement is framed as a civic triumph. Officials point to global visibility, tourism, and long-term economic benefits. Renderings of upgraded stadiums and revitalized neighbourhoods are flashed to the media. The message is clear: hosting is an investment; the payoff will follow.

In July, federal prosecutors secured a significant appellate victory affirming their power to prosecute foreign commercial bribery worldwide. Yet when defendants Hernán Lopez and Full Play Group petitioned for Supreme Court review, the DOJ reversed course, abandoning both the case and the precedent it had just won.

Eight weeks out from the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and six months from North America hosting the FIFA World Cup, we’ll be discussing sports governance issues at the highest levels of sport—from diversity and inclusion to match-fixing, doping and corruption. For today’s post, I’m indulging in a little hometown pride in the city's embrace of the newest franchise in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, the Vancouver Goldeneyes.