Power Plays
Power Plays is an investigative podcast from the Human Rights Foundation that exposes how authoritarian regimes weaponize sports for political influence. Hosted by sports journalist Karim Zidan, the first season explores the exploitation of the FIFA World Cup by regimes such as Italy's fascists in 1934, Argentina's military junta in 1978, Russia's kleptocratic state in 2018, and Qatar's monarchy in 2022. The podcast also looks ahead to future World Cups in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, examining the intersection of sports and geopolitics.
Episodes
Welcome to Power Plays
Behind your favorite sport, there is always something else at play.Power Plays is a new investigative podcast from the Human Rights Foundation hosted by sports journalist and HRF Sports and Dictators Program Lead Karim Zidan, exposing how authoritarian regimes weaponize sports for political influence.Season 1 explores the regimes that have exploited the FIFA World Cup over the last century, from I
1. The Fascist World Cup
In 1934, tens of thousands packed into a stadium in Rome, where Italy would go on to win the World Cup.It should have been a celebration of sport and diplomacy—but more so, it was a carefully staged display of power.As Italy lifted the trophy on home soil, Benito Mussolini used the tournament to manufacture nationalism and reshape how the world understood his regime. Ahead, we return to that momen
2. Pelé, the Dirty Wars, and the Monster in the Streets
By 1978, the World Cup was a global spectacle—broadcasted into millions of homes and increasingly valuable to those in power. That year, it came to Argentina, under a military dictatorship.Just miles from the stadiums, thousands were being detained, tortured, and disappeared, while inside them, there were celebrations and a carefully constructed image of national unity.Power Plays is a podcast abo
3. Pussy Riot and Putin’s World Cup
In 2015, Swiss authorities—working with the FBI—raided a luxury hotel in Zurich and arrested top FIFA officials in a corruption scandal tied to how World Cups were awarded.Three years later, Russia hosted the tournament anyway.In Putin’s Russia, repression was not hidden. Journalists were silenced. Political opponents were imprisoned. And yet, as millions of fans arrived and billions watched, the
4. The Story of Qatar's World Cup Whistleblower
On the eve of the 2022 World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino took the stage in Doha and delivered a speech that stunned the football world—declaring “today I feel gay… today I feel like a migrant worker," while pushing back on criticism of Qatar. as he defended Qatar against mounting criticism over its hosting of the tournament.In this episode, we travel to Qatar, where the World Cup’s “succe
5. The Power of Football
With the World Cup now underway in North America, this season finale of Power Plays explores what comes next for football and FIFA. From the politics surrounding this year's tournament to future World Cups in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, we examine how the game continues to shape—and be shaped—by power.Over the course of Season 1, we’ve traveled from Mussolini’s Italy to Argentina's military junta, P
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