We are well into this largest and longest FIFA men’s World Cup. Before it kicked off in Mexico City on June 11, there was intense media and public discussion of its geopolitics.

After all, it is the first to have a co-host (the United States) engaged in open military combat with one of the participating FIFA members (Iran). This tension is accompanied by several others, not least between the US and the other hosts, Mexico and Canada.

Read more: A host nation at war with a participant: uncertainty and tension swirl around soccer’s World Cup

The second Trump administration has also picked a series of fights with many of the world’s nations.

Critical commentary about the prospects of a conflict-ridden World Cup was, for these reasons, widely spread across the world’s media after Trump returned to power in 2025.

As the games have got going, though, the tide of World Cup political commentary has notably receded. The absence of any major incidents involving visiting teams and fans at the time of writing has directed most eyes towards the on-field games and off-field fun.

What does this unfolding story tell us about the rhythms of media and public attention at a global extravaganza like the World Cup?

The downplaying of politics is, in fact, no big surprise. The various stages of........

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