Beyond the Pitch: CMU Experts on the 2026 World Cup
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues across North America, Carnegie Mellon University experts are available to help media examine the stories unfolding beyond the pitch, from geopolitics and global flashpoints to sports business, fan engagement, AI, robotics, biomechanics and athlete performance.
CMU’s World Cup Experts Hub brings together faculty and specialists who can provide timely insight into the political, technological, commercial and human performance issues connected to one of the world’s largest sporting events.
Featured Topics
World Cup Geopolitics and Global Flashpoints
Diplomacy, national identity, international competition, Iran’s participation, regional tensions and how major tournaments can reflect wider global conflicts, alliances and cultural divides.
The Business of Soccer
Marketing impact, soccer’s growing presence in North America, fan access, audience development and how technology can expand the experience for people watching around the world.
AI, Robotics and Sports Technology
How 3D motion analysis, robotic systems, wearable innovation and performance technologies are changing athlete training, preparation, injury analysis and the way fans experience the game.
Performance, Motion and Split-Second Decisions
The biomechanics, motor control, hesitation and decision-making behind elite soccer, including the movements, injuries and officiating moments that can define a match.
Media can visit CMU’s World Cup Experts Hub to explore available experts and connect directly with the right source for their story.
Connect With:
Assistant Professor
Ignacio Arana Araya studies how personality traits and other individual differences of heads of government impact executive governance.
- Comparative Politics
- Latin America
- Presidential Leadership
Associate Professor of the Practice
Haleigh Bartos’s area of research is Africa and the Middle East.
- Africa and Middle East
Associate Professor of Marketing and Strategy
- Sports Marketing
- Marketing Management/Strategy
- Marketing
- Applied Economics
- Celebrity Endorsements
Research Professor
- Augmented Reality
- Computer Vision
- Human Sensing
- Machine Learning
- Virtual Reality
Associate Research Professor
- Sensing & Perception
- Sustainability
- Digital Twins
- Computer Vision
- Artificial Intelligence