James Dorsey

Iranian-Syrian World Cup qualifier ripples far beyond the pitch

A nail-biting Iranian-Syrian World Cup qualifier has sent political ripples far beyond the Azadi Stadium’s soccer pitch in Tehran. In…

7 years ago

Qatar’s World Cup sparks battle for legal, social and political reform

Qatar’s successful bid for the right to host the 2022 World Cup has put the Gulf state at the forefront…

7 years ago

Human Rights Watch And FIFA Test Middle East Fallout Of Trump’s Election

  Human Rights Watch (HRW), in an initial probing of the impact of the rise of US President-elect Donald J.…

7 years ago

Creating A Legal Precedent: Palestine Considers Suing Israel In International Sports Court

  The Palestine Football Association (PFA), in a first testing of Palestine’s ability to fight its battle with Israel in…

7 years ago

Pushing The Envelope: The World Cup And Arab Revolts Drive Change

Pressured by human rights and trade union activists leveraging Qatar's exposure as a World Cup host and influenced by subtle…

8 years ago

Rare Agreement Between Saudi And Iranian Islamic Scholars: Soccer Poses A Threat

Sunni scholars in Saudi Arabia and their Shiite counterparts in Iran may be at war over who is a Muslim,…

8 years ago

Israeli-Palestinian Struggle Returns To The Soccer Pitch

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused world soccer body FIFA of allowing FIFA-sanctioned matches to be played on occupied land…

8 years ago

Egypt Hopes Soccer Will Help Polish Its Tarnished Image

An Egyptian businessman with close ties to general-turned-president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has submitted a bid for the broadcasting rights of…

8 years ago

James Dorsey’s Column: Soccer Investments’ Reputational Risk Catches Up With UAE

The reputational risk associated with autocratic investment in high-profile soccer clubs threatened to catch up with the UAE as a…

8 years ago

Qatar’s quagmire: existential fears and missed opportunities

Walking around Qatar's monumental Aspire Dome sports academy, coach Fred Engh noticed kids playing soccer on an indoor field big…

9 years ago