The Empowering Women and Girls through Sports Initiative aims to increase the number of women and girls involved in sports. From June 17- 27, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) will bring ten teenage field hockey players and two female coaches from Pakistan to the United States for an international sports exchange. This program builds on the U.S. global commitment to advance the rights of women and girls around the world.

Whether or not whoever is chosen as the new president is a soccer fan, Dorsey said, he will not be able to ignore the sport. “It is too big an Iranian passion,” he said, “too much of an opportunity to miss to wield soft power and enhance personal and national prestige.”

"Soccer is one of the passion points for the Caribbean and Hispanic community and the launch of Phoenix Stadium is the perfect centerpiece for Diasporta. When complete, the project will increase access to play and education for Haitian youth, and be a great example of solidarity in the Americas," says Stephen Keppel , Director of Empowerment Initiatives, Univision Network News.

When he was in Israel, Robert Rehak, then-Czech Republic cultural attaché to the Jewish state, practiced soccer diplomacy. Specifically, he organized a model Euro Cup competition for Arab and Jewish school children.

People's opinions of the UK have improved markedly since 2012. That suggestion is based on a BBC World Service survey of more than 26,000 global citizens, whose positive views pushed the UK into third place, behind Germany and Canada.

Nearly 40 European national associations have sent UEFA Pro license student coaches to the House of European Football in Nyon to take part in UEFA's coach education exchange programme and gain invaluable knowledge about what awaits them in future careers, UEFA official web page said.

Cheered on by a raucous crowd waving flags and chanting, a team of Iranian wrestlers defeated the United States, 6-1, in an exhibition match staged in New York’s Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday.

Qatar made unsuccessful bids for both the 2016 and 2020 Games, and will no doubt make another one in the years to come. If it is serious about respecting the tradition of the event, let alone becoming a global centre for genuine cultural inquiry, it needs to get over its inhibitions.