David and Nicole Tepper Department of Sport and Entertainment Management Professor and International Graduate Director Nicholas Watanabe recently led and moderated two panel discussions at the World Cup Diplomacy Summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The panels were part of a major international meeting focused on how the 2026 FIFA World Cup and future tournaments could be leveraged toward diplomatic ends, strengthening international cooperation, development and global exchange through the world’s most watched sporting event.
Watanabe, a Canteen Corporation endowed professor, is the author of the book The Beautiful Game? The Stories Shaping the Future of Soccer, published earlier this year.
At the summit, he led and moderated panels on “Artificial Intelligence and Data for Performance, Fan Engagement and Commercial Value in Sport” and “Strategic Foresight, Fan Engagement and the Future Sport.”
"It was exciting to be engaged in active discussions with many of the world's top policy makers, industry professionals and thought leaders to discuss the future of sport. With the U.S. co-hosting the World Cup, it provided the unique opportunity to gather together to debate many of the critical issues that will impact the sport industry, including the use of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and how these will shape the fan experience. It was an honor to be selected to be part of this group, especially with my academic interest in the future of the soccer industry both in the U.S. and abroad," he says.
The two-day summit, held June 4-5 and hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), brought together diplomats, sport officials and researchers from around the world.
Having previously worked for the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer, Watanabe is an internationally recognized scholar whose research focuses on economics and management in the sport industry. Watanabe is a co-author of the upcoming book International Sports Economics. His research and expertise have been featured on the BBC, the New York Times, USA Today, the Washington Post, National Public Radio, and numerous other media outlets.