The kick-off of the World Cup of Football on the American Continent recalls a reality now unquestionable: football is no longer just a sport. It has become a diplomatic tool, an economic lever, a vector of cultural influence and sometimes even a geopolitical instrument. Followed by several billion viewers around the world, the World Cup is one of the world's most powerful events in terms of international visibility. Behind sports exploits and popular emotion is another competition, more discreet but just as strategic: that of soft power. Football, a soft power weapon for states For several decades, states have understood the immense potential of football to improve their image, increase their influence and strengthen their international influence. The organization of a World Cup allows a country to run for the world in its best light. ...