Why We Play: World Cup Edition

The games we play don’t just reflect modern life, they shape it — and that’s especially true with soccer. Explore the impact of the global game on business, media, national identity, diplomacy, gender roles, even workplace compensation policies as part of the “Why We Play” conversation series. Insights from this session will inform a Los Angeles County Museum of Art exhibit during the 2028 Olympics. The Aspen Ideas Festival is the Aspen Institute’s signature summer public event. From June 25-July 1, 2026 business and civic leaders, innovators and artists, fellows, scholars, and attendees from around the world gathered in the Rocky Mountains. Engaging discussions unified by the Festival’s theme “Declarations of Independence” explore the issues of today, challenge perceptions of the past, and shape our shared future. #AspenIdeas For more information about the Aspen Ideas Festival, visit https://www.aspenideas.org.