48 Teams. 104 Matches. 12 Expert Speakers.

Please join the American Center in Moscow for monthly events as part of its FIFA World Cup 2026 Speaker Series. These speaker events are organized around three overarching themes: 1) Behind the Tournament: Planning, Cities, and Innovation; 2) People, Passion, and Culture; and 3) Media, Language, and Careers. Please see the schedule of confirmed events below. 

Schedule:

Monday, September 22, 19:00 MSK: The FIFA World Cup 101: How It Works and Why It Matters

The World Cup is the biggest and most-watched sporting event in the world, uniting nations through a shared love of football. This talk breaks down how the tournament works—from qualifiers to the final—and explores why it holds such powerful cultural, political, and economic significance globally.

About the speaker: Clemente Lisi is a veteran journalist with over two decades of experience, specializing in both news and sports. He has worked for major outlets such as the New York Post, New York Daily News, and ABCNews.com, and served as an Associate Professor of Journalism at The King’s College in New York from 2017 to 2023. A lifelong soccer enthusiast, he has authored several books on the sport, including "The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event." He has covered multiple World Cups on the ground, including in South Africa, Brazil, Russia, and Qatar and writes about the game on his Substack newsletter Planet Soccer. Currently, he is the Executive Editor at Religion Unplugged and continues to write extensively on soccer and global affairs for various publications.

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Wednesday, December 3, 20:00 MSK: The World Cup Comes to America: Looking Forward to 2026

Hosting major international sporting events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup can leave a lasting positive impact on the cities that host them, including bringing economic benefits, increased tourism, and the opportunity for creating a lasting legacy. Learn how Los Angeles is preparing to host eight matches of the World Cup and how the City is leveraging this once-in-a-generation opportunity.

About the speaker: Ashley Stracke has worked for the City of Los Angeles for over 15 years, most recently supporting Mayor Karen Bass’s work on international event diplomacy related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Before joining Mayor Bass’ team, she was the Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff for Mayor Eric Garcetti where she oversaw the development of the $145 million Housing and Community Development Consolidated Plan Budget, the Mayor’s General Manager Review process, and advised the Chief of Staff and Mayor on employee relations matters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped oversee the City’s emergency response, focusing on implementing programs to support older adults and low-income families. She has a Master’s degree in Public Policy with a focus on International Relations from Princeton University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.

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Tuesday, December 16, 20:00 MSK: Beyond the Final Whistle: Understanding World Cup Legacies

This talk explores the far-reaching legacies of the FIFA World Cup, looking beyond the spectacle to examine how host nations are transformed long after the tournament ends. We’ll unpack the economic impacts—both the promises and the pitfalls—and consider how World Cup investments shape education, cultural exchange, national identity, and long-term infrastructure development. Drawing on global case studies, the session highlights what truly remains once the stadium lights dim: from urban regeneration and tourism shifts to community programs, social cohesion, and the evolving cultural footprint of the world’s most-watched sporting event.

About the speaker: Lisa Delpy Neirotti, Ph.D. has been a professor of sport, event, and tourism management at The George Washington University School of Business for 35 years and is the Director of the BS, MBA, and M.S. in Sport Management. She also oversees the GW Sport Philanthropy Executive Certificate, Youth Sport Administrator Certificate, and the GW Green Sports Scorecard.  Recognized as an Olympic scholar, Dr. Neirotti has attended 22 consecutive Olympic Games and teaches for the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Masters in Management of Sports Organizations (MEMOS).  Furthermore, she has participated in six World Cups and was a founding member of the Women in Sports & Events (WISE) DC Chapter.  Dr. Neirotti co-authored the Ultimate Guide to Sport Marketing and founded the Sports Industry Networking and Career (SINC) conference and the Travel, Events, and Management in Sports (TEAMS) conference.  Areas of expertise include mega-event management and marketing, sponsorship, sport tourism, sport philanthropy, economic impact, sustainability, youth sports, entrepreneurship, non-profit management and marketing, and legacy. 

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ALL AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE / ALL EVENTS OF THE AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW ARE FREE OF CHARGE

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To watch this event live, tune in to the American Center in Moscow’s YouTube channel and VK page. You can also watch the recording of this event on the same platforms after the event’s end.

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