World Affairs Council of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky

Soccer Diplomacy: A Fireside Chat with Jeff Berding
2026-06-08 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | TQL Stadium
Join us on June 8 for an exclusive Fireside Chat with Jeff Berding, Co-CEO of FC Cincinnati and member of the FIFA World Soccer Committee. This featured keynote explores how elite sport serves as a powerful engine for economic growth and international diplomacy, transforming Cincinnati into a world-class global city. Jeff will share his “Berding Blueprint” for leveraging soft power and global talent networks to bridge the gap between local impact and transnational influence.
To celebrate this connection between the global and the grassroots, the Council will donate FIFA official soccer balls to a local youth program in Jeff’s honor. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the visionary leader redefining what it means for a city to stay “globally connected. The event will serve cocktails and lite bites, with a chance for attendees to tour the stadium.
Early Bird tickets are $20 and will increase to $35 on June 1st.
