As the modern strongman era took hold, Vladimir Putin seized the 2018 World Cup as a chance to reintroduce Russia on the global stage. Far more than a sporting spectacle, the tournament became a carefully orchestrated exercise in soft power: a showcase designed to project openness, competence, and national pride while muting criticism and dissent.

In this episode, we’ll examine how the World Cup functioned as a masterclass in image management—blending hospitality, spectacle, and tightly managed media narratives—and what it reveals about the politics of perception in an age defined by disinformation and authoritarian branding.