The World Cup has been more than just a football tournament; it has historically functioned as a means of national identity construction. Uruguay's hosting and winning of the inaugural World Cup in 1930 marked a pivotal moment for the nation, allowing it to assert its cultural significance on the global stage. This was facilitated by a diplomatic effort to join FIFA and participate in the 1924 Olympic football tournament, which helped establish Uruguay as a legitimate state independent from Argentina. The success of the national team was celebrated with a national holiday, reinforcing the idea of Uruguayan exceptionalism.

Conversely, the 1934 World Cup in Italy was manipulated by Benito Mussolini to project an image of national strength and unity under fascism. Mussolini's regime organized the event to validate its power, utilizing state resources to create a spectacle that showcased Italy's organizational prowess. This pattern of using the World Cup for nationalistic purposes has continued through subsequent tournaments, including those in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.

As the 2026 World Cup approaches, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, it will be interesting to see how these nations utilize the event to define and present their national identities.