One week to go, experts weigh in ahead of the FIFA World Cup

With just one week until the FIFA World Cup 2026 officially kicks off, Western Sydney University experts are available for interviews. The experts can discuss what it means to host the tournament in a volatile geopolitical climate, dynamic pricing ticketing systems, the tournaments influence on the United States tourism industry, attaching a price tag to official world cup fan zones and more.

Emeritus Professor David Rowe, Institute for Culture and Society

Emeritus Professor David Rowe is a Cultural Researcher at the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University and a Fellow of both the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, with honorary appointments at the Universities of Bath and London, UK and Beijing Foreign Studies University, China. He has researched and published frequently on the Olympics and Paralympics in academic works such as Global Media Sport, and in the media, including on the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Tokyo 2020/1 Olympics. He has also given recent invited lectures on the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics in Montpellier and Paris, and has a forthcoming chapter on the subject published by L’Association Francophone pour la Recherche sur les Activités Physiques et Sportives.

"The FIFA World Cup, especially the men’s, increasingly attracts intense geopolitical debate. In 2018, it was held in Russia between that country’s annexation of Crimea and invasion of greater Ukraine. In 2022, it was hosted by Qatar amid concerns regarding human rights and, especially, the treatment of the guest workers who built the World Cup stadia."

"In 2026, the World Cup travels to North America. It has three hosts, the most important being the United States under the erratic presidency of Donald Trump, who with Israel commenced a war with Iran less than four months before kick-off. Trump has declared that he wants to absorb another host, Canada, as the 51st state of the union, and has tried to build an entire wall separating the U.S. from the third host, Mexico.

"Many travelling and resident football fans may find, in the current xenophobic environment, their encounters with U.S. authorities as anxiety-provoking as this tournament’s penalty shootouts on the field of play."

Dr Jess Richards, School of Business

Dr Jess Richards is a Senior Lecturer in Sports Management specialising in fan engagement, fan zones, and women's sports. With extensive experience as a consultant for prominent organisations such as Rugby League, Football Australia, and Rugby Union Australia.

In relation to official world cup fan zones having a price tag in some cities:

"For decades, FIFA World Cup fan zones were designed as open free public spaces where anyone could gather and feel part of the tournament, regardless of whether they could afford a ticket. The backlash we’re seeing from fans as a response to some cities charging for entry reflects growing concern that even the atmosphere surrounding major sporting events is becoming commercialised."

In relation to the dynamic pricing ticketing system - change from lotteries for the first time:

"Historically, World Cup tickets were distributed through fixed-price lottery systems, which at least created the perception that fans around the world were entering on relatively equal terms. The move to dynamic pricing for 2026 changes that relationship quite significantly because ticket prices now fluctuate in real time based on demand. One of the concerns we have is that increasingly expensive and unpredictable pricing could discourage travelling international fans, who have traditionally been central to the colour, sound, atmosphere and identity of the World Cup itself."

Dr Garth Lean, School of Social Sciences

Dr Garth Lean is a tourism and travel specialist with more than 20 years of experience in research, training, governance, administration, planning and marketing roles with universities, government, industry, and professional bodies. He leads the tourism, hospitality and events disciplines at Western Sydney University, along with several research initiatives.

"The World Cup arrives at a difficult moment for US tourism. International travel to the United States has been under pressure, shaped not only by cost and exchange rates, but also by political settings, border processes, safety perceptions and questions about how welcome some travellers will feel."

"The tournament will certainly bring football fans, global attention and short-term demand. But that is not the same as rebuilding the appeal of the US as a tourism destination. The bigger question is whether the World Cup can convert event-driven visitors into future leisure travellers, or whether the same political and practical concerns currently affecting US tourism will limit its longer-term impact."

Professor Joseph Cheer, School of Social Sciences

Joseph Cheer is a Professor of Sustainable Tourism and Associate Dean, International in the School of Social Sciences. He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the leading journal Tourism Geographies and Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on the Future of Sustainable Tourism. His extensive body of work comprises books, journal articles, chapters, and non-traditional publications for outlets like The Conversation, World Economic Forum, Global Research Institute and UNESCO. Joseph has a developing quantitative social sciences research agenda and is particularly keen on the development of human flourishing indicators for tourism destination communities specifically, and with wider societal applications.

"The FIFA World Cup is a reminder of the inextricable connection between sports and geopolitics, where host countries have the opportunity to showcase themselves on the global stage, and where grievances that exist are aired."

"The FIFA World Cup has reached an inflection point where long-running allegations of corruption and poor governance against its administration have dogged it and diminished the brand.

"The popularity of this World Cup will be evidence of the ongoing resilience, or not, of the FIFA brand."

To arrange an interview, please email media@westernsydney.edu.au.

ENDS.

5 June 2026
Photo credit: Unsplash via Sandro Schuh
Media Unit