Sex, Sports, and Urban Space and the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City

When momentous events like the Olympic Games or World Cup soccer tournament arrive in a city, momentous things happen – for the better and for the worse. As the 2026 World Cup gears up to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this class considers the way cities and societies change with the arrival of international sporting events. A hybrid course–with a two-week travel learning component in Mexico City–this course uses the World Cup as a portal to understand the social, cultural, environmental, and political impacts of global sporting events. From the 1968 Mexico City Olympics to the recent World Cup competitions in Russia and Qatar, we have seen how cities transform themselves in the name of sports. They build and re-build themselves to impress visitors and attract investors. New political and cultural connections emerge as policy makers,