When speaking about sports diplomacy, the discussion often centers on ideas like “soft power” and the “Ping-Pong diplomacy” of the early 1970s. For those less familiar with half-century-old geopolitics, this term originated when the United States table tennis team received a surprise invitation from their Chinese colleagues to visit the country in 1971, helping pave the way to broader conversations between nations.

But in 2025, sports diplomacy must be redefined. There is no scenario in which the modern athlete can be considered “soft,” nor is there anything soft about the power and influence that athletes, teams, leagues, and countries wield globally through sports. Having worked across seven Olympic and Paralympic Games, I’ve seen firsthand how that same spirit of connection and collaboration continues today and how sporting events unlock opportunities, converting global attention into investment, tourism and long-term influence.

After a two-decade drought of hosting major sporting events, the U.S. has undertaken the most ambitious slate of global games in modern history for the coming “American Decade of Sports.” Beginning with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and extending through the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, each year features a major sporting event on U.S. soil that brings the potential for millions of fans, billions in revenue and unprecedented international reach with widespread geopolitical implications.

However, if the U.S. continues to think of sports diplomacy as “soft,” we will leave golden opportunities on the table and further cede ground to allies that have already recognized sports as commercial statecraft and are........

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