Dr. Shingi Mavima, assistant professor of history at The University of Toledo, will discuss the FIFA Men’s World Cup Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the Main Library in downtown Toledo.

Beginning at 6 p.m., the free, public event is hosted by the Roger Ray Institute for the Humanities in the UToledo College of Arts and Letters.

In his lecture titled “The World’s Game? Global Politics, Culture and the World Cup,” Mavima will talk about several of the most significant geopolitical implications in the tournament’s 92-year history that give substance to the phrase “more than just a game.”

“Every four years, the international community gathers around the cauldron of sporting excellence, nationalism and globalization that is the FIFA Men’s World Cup,” Mavima said.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Mavima’s research and teaching focuses on contemporary Southern African history, African literature and popular culture.