How Sports Influence Politics
Samuel Hymes - Strategic Adviser for The World Cup
Most people watch the World Cup for the soccer. Samuel Hymes watches it for the diplomacy.
As a strategic adviser working on America's World Cup strategy, Samuel spent the past year focused on a question most fans never consider: How can the United States use the world's biggest sporting event to strengthen its standing on the global stage?
Turns out, it can do a lot. Samuel's front-row seat to it all made for CNCT's first podcast episode diving into sports — finally!
- 🌍 The World Cup's surprise win for America's global image
- 🤝 Why sports may be the true bipartisan unifier
- 🏟️ D.C.'s glow-up into a legitimate sports town
- 🏆 What's next: the Women's World Cup and LA28
Samuel's path into sports diplomacy started in an unlikely place: Philadelphia, watching the Eagles win a championship as a rival fan.
What stayed with him wasn't the game itself, but the surge of energy it gave the entire city. He began thinking about how that same effect could be harnessed intentionally through branding, relationship-building, and leadership development. He wrote a memo to his team, the Washington Commanders, and that observation turned into a job and a real initiative — one that echoes the State Department's own Sports Diplomacy Division.
It's also fitting that Samuel's career brought him back to a hometown that has changed dramatically since he left. "D.C. has become more of a sports capital since I grew up here," he says, pointing to everything from Navy Yard's transformation around Nationals Park to renovations at Capital One Arena. To Samuel, those investments are about more than sports — they strengthen the city's economy, identity, and ability to attract talent.
Samuel breaks down how hosting the World Cup can reshape America's image abroad. He also explains why sports remain one of the rare forces capable of bringing people together across political lines.
From European visitors embracing Walmart and Buc-ee's to the growing role of the Olympics, the NFL Draft, and future international tournaments, Samuel explores how major sporting events shape cities and culture. His case is simple: sports are more than entertainment — they're a powerful tool for diplomacy, economic development, and relationship-building at home and abroad.
Sports remain one of our best opportunities for unity. The World Cup showed that Americans can still come together — and that some of our best cultural exports may be the ones we least expect. Who knew Buc-ee's, Walmart, drinking beers together, and ranch dressing could do more to charm our European friends than traditional diplomacy ever could?