Holy Stoked, a small collective based in Bangalore, is working to create a community of skaters in a country where many people have never even seen a skateboard. Parks are important to any young skate scene—especially in places without great street spots—so Holy Stoked cofounders Shake and Soms reached out to Levi’s about teaming up to build a park in Bangalore. Lo and behold the jeans giant agreed to help.

Getting schools and hospitals built to the same standard as World Cup stadiums was one of the main demands made by protesters on the streets of Brazil last month. But just days after FIFA, football’s governing body, handed the national stadium in Brasilia back to its owners following the Confederations Cup, a warm-up tournament ahead of next year’s World Cup, it appears that the problem is not just overspending and late delivery. It’s also management.

Football, contrary to many other banned fun activities and hobbies, was one of the most popular sports and was played all over the country even during Taliban government. The teams played nationally and regionally. After the collapse of Taliban rule, sport in general, but especially football, began to flourish and significant achievements in football were made both nationally and at international level.

What happens when the domestic public seemingly overtakes a country’s public diplomacy agenda? Brazil looked like it had scored a double goal when it secured the bid to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. A massive promotional campaign to garner world attention was well underway. And then came the massive protests by the Brazilian public.

For many Brazilians, the upcoming FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 summer Olympics have amplified the malady of corruption. And while FIFA was quick to defend the Brazilian government for its World Cup preparations, one result of the protests will likely be an unspoken coordination between the world’s two most powerful sporting organizations so that no country can simultaneously prepare to host both events in the foreseeable future.

His integration into American life was helped by a group of Ethiopians, who invited him to join their game of football at a local park. He would meet them again at Jefferson High School, where his journey to MLS would begin in earnest.

The delegation, made up of Singaporeans from 14 to 20 years old, were specifically chosen for the trip as part of a goodwill mission on behalf of the US Embassy and had the opportunity to see first-hand the structure of the youth development programs in the US. The group visited American professional women's team Portland Thorns FC,in Oregon before making their way to California to explore San Francisco and meet with faculty members at Stanford University.

Qatar, the smallest Gulf monarchy, has become a global brand. Securing the 2022 World Cup was a PR triumph. It plans to compete to host the 2024 Olympics. It has a glittering portfolio: Harrods, the Shard, Paris St-Germain football club. Doha's Islamic art museum is a brilliant example of money in the service of high culture.