The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway across North America, including in Canada, and global attention is turning towards soccer as a cultural force that shapes identity, belonging and politics. Two researchers in Sociology at Trent are examining the game from different angles, revealing how soccer can both unite communities and expose global divides. 

Before they’re pros, they’re finding their people

For Dr. Greg Yerashotis, soccer’s impact is personal and local. His research chronicles more than 15 years spent coaching youth soccer in Toronto’s St. James Town neighbourhood, one of the most culturally diverse communities in the city. Through community-based programming, he watched the game become more than recreation for newcomer youth and families adjusting to life in Canada. 

“Soccer became a way for young people to build friendships, learn culture and language, and feel like they belonged,” says Prof. Yerashotis. “For many of the youth in the program, the field was one of the first places they felt at home.” 

His forthcoming book Social Inclusion through Soccer in Global Toronto explores how sport can support immigrant integration, particularly for young people navigating displacement, poverty and isolation. One participant, a Syrian refugee who arrived in Toronto after fleeing war, described soccer as something that “helped [his] mind” and restored his confidence during an especially difficult period of settlement. Another participant in the program went on to complete their master’s degree and now runs the same soccer club. 

The research also follows girls’ soccer programs in the neighbourhood, documenting how access to community sport created space for confidence, leadership, and empowerment in an area where recreational opportunities were often limited. 

The corporate side of competition 

While Prof. Yerashotis examines soccer’s cultural and social impact at the grassroots level, Prof. Rahman explores tensions between human rights, LGBTQ+ inclusion, nationalism and the commercial interests connected to the World Cup tournaments.  

“These events are promoted as celebrations of diversity and inclusion—and the fun is really important—but they also exist within massive commercial and political systems,” says Prof. Rahman. 

His most recent research publications examine the controversy surrounding the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, including debates around queer visibility, labour practices, and the role of celebrity ambassadors. He recalls David Beckham's evolution from a celebrated queer ally and symbol of a more inclusive masculinity in the early 2000s to his controversial role as an ambassador for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where concerns were raised about anti-LGBTQ+ policies from the hosts and FIFA. 

Prof. Rahman says that while criticism of discrimination in sport is important, these debates can also produce unintended consequences, including reinforcing Islamophobic narratives and overlooking the experiences of LGBTQ+ people living within host countries. His concept of 'homocolonialism' shows how non-Western cultures often see the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights as a continued form of Western cultural colonialism.  In turn, this resistance feeds continued racism towards non-Western cultures, and both sides of the debate ignore non-Western LGBTQ+ experiences. 

“The challenge is whether sport can generate genuine joy and connection while not reinforcing inequalities or political tensions. You can protest but still enjoy the games and support organizations that are advocating for local groups” says Prof. Rahman. “I watch matches with a lot of excitement, but I know that I also should advocate against simplistic politics of LGBTQ+ inclusion as a ‘Western’ value.” 

As World Cup excitement waves across soccer fans in host countries and around the world, Prof. Rahman’s and Prof. Yerashotis’ work highlights the impact of the sport beyond the final score. 

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