Sports Columnist & Author

Simon Kuper

Columnist at the Financial Times covering football, politics, and culture. Author of World Cup Fever, examining how the tournament reflects and shapes global politics. Known for connecting sports to broader social and economic trends.

Known For

Football analysisGlobal politics through sportCultural history of the World Cup

Canon

Creative Destruction: Systematically Destroying Your Own Business Models

Canon

Culture Functions as a Collective Brain

Novel

Game Theory: Optimal Strategy Requires Mixing and Unpredictability

Curious

Paradigm Shifts Are Invisible to Incumbents

Canon

Books

■World Cup Fever

Episodes

#How to win a penalty shootout (with game theory)Jul 3, 2026 #The World Cup Was Supposed to Bring World PeaceJun 4, 2026