What game is Viktor Orbán playing?
Hungary has spent €2bn on football since Orbán regained power in 2010. The project has been a success on the pitch, with Hungary qualified for two major tournaments since 2010 and winning against England. It has also been successful off the field, as the country has invested in the local economy and football clubs in ethnic Hungarian communities. Football is also a useful tool for boosting national identity and pride outside of Hungary. It is used to influence the discussion of issues off of the football pitch. For example, Iranian players refused to sing their national anthem and German players covered their mouths for a team photo in protest at Fifa’s decision to ban pro-LGBTQ+ armbands.
