The World Cup Hack: How Diaspora Players Are Rewriting Soccer’s Rules

Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter Hyphenly; it's our no-fluff love letter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes! Link below ⁠⁠⁠https://immigrantlys-newsletter.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠ What happens when national pride meets global identity? Morocco’s epic World Cup run in 2022 wasn’t just a Cinderella story; it was a masterclass in building a team from abroad. In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson unpacks how foreign-born players are transforming international soccer. From FIFA’s game-changing rule tweaks to Qatar and the UAE’s controversial recruiting strategies, we are asking, where’s the line between heritage and hired guns? With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, get ready for the politics, pride, and power plays shaping the future of the sport. Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writers: Nicholas Black & Kavitha Davidson I Fact Checking and Research: Shahmeer Nawaz I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please share the love and leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to help more people find us! Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts. You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[e-mail]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly IG @immigrantlypods Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices