Like millions of Americans — and a few billion others around the world — I’ve been glued to the World Cup.
One thing that has really stood out is not only the excitement on the field, but also what’s happening in the stands. Across our country, the World Cup is providing an optimistic lens for how the world can see us — from a German tourist going viral for his love of Waffle House and southern hospitality, to Algerian fans cheering with college students at a bar in Lawrence, Kansas, to Scotland’s “Tartan Army” belting out “American Pie” with strangers in Boston.
These moments are worth celebrating, especially when we spend so much time consumed by what divides us. It’s refreshing to watch millions of visitors celebrate the traditions and ideals that unite us.
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At the same time, we live with an increasingly complex geopolitical backdrop — a new Ebola outbreak in Africa, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, global supply chain disruptions, and more — impacting our kitchen table issues every day.
The good news is that when America leads, America wins.
When Ebola devastated West Africa in 2014, the United States led an effort to contain the largest outbreak in history at its source. Working alongside partners, American global health professionals, development experts, diplomats, and military personnel helped strengthen surveillance systems, train health workers, and coordinate one of the largest-ever global health emergency responses.
By stopping the outbreak at its source, investments in effective U.S. international assistance saved lives abroad while protecting Americans at home — from a virus that kills 1 in every 2 people it infects.
The reality is that America’s ability to shape the global environment before threats reach our shores matters more than ever — to our health, our security, and our prosperity.
For decades, this has been called “soft power.” That label has never done it justice. This is “strategic power.”
Hosting the World Cup on our home field shows us what strategic power looks like in practice.
It’s American businesses reaching new markets that create jobs at home; global health programs stopping outbreaks before they become pandemics; international assistance programs that accelerate access to critical minerals; diplomats building coalitions before conflicts erupt; assistance programs transforming fragile states into stable trading partners instead of breeding grounds for extremism and mass migration; and it’s American innovations, culture, and spirit featured at events such as the World Cup that remind billions of people why the U.S. remains the world’s most indispensable nation.
As State Department Assistant Secretary Cate Dillon said at USGLC’s recent event in Seattle ahead of America’s 2-0 World Cup victory over Australia, “These international events are not just celebrations of sports, they are strategic opportunities.”
Americans agree. Recent polling from the Reagan Institute shows 61% of Americans want the U.S. to be more engaged in the world, not less.
And the World Cup shows us that global competition is not won from the sidelines.
Our rivals certainly understand this dynamic — that global influence isn’t measured by missiles or aircraft carriers alone. China has invested hundreds of billions of dollars through its “Belt and Road Initiative” to finance ports, railways, energy infrastructure, and digital networks.
They recognize that strategic competition is increasingly about who shapes markets, forms partnerships, and writes the rules of the future.
If we want to maintain the strongest economy and grow opportunity here at home, we have to keep showing up — with the diplomats, development tools, private-sector partnerships, and international assistance that help shape markets, strengthen supply chains, prevent crises, and offer partner countries a better choice.
America can win this competition — not by retreating from the world, but by leading it.
As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, the World Cup underscores that America’s engagement in the world isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a strategic imperative, for today, tomorrow, and our next 250 years.
Liz Schrayer is CEO and president of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.