Simon Kuper
@simonkuper.bsky.social
Financial Times columnist, and author of books including Chums, Good Chaps, Impossible City: Paris in the Twenty-First Century, Soccernomics and out in late 2025, World Cup Fever. British and now French too, lives in Paris with wife and kids.
As Mark Carney said, we're in a new world order. So how does it work? What are its rules? Errr - are there are any rules? Me @financialtimes.com. Free to read as.ft.com/r/2bae5b49-b...
The ‘Little West’ takes on the new world order
[FREE TO READ] Terrified into co-operation by outside threats, a surprisingly solid bloc is emerging
as.ft.com
January 29, 2026 at 1:44 PM
As Mark Carney said, we're in a new world order. So how does it work? What are its rules? Errr - are there are any rules? Me @financialtimes.com. Free to read as.ft.com/r/2bae5b49-b...
Reposted by Simon Kuper
Martin Wolf too!!
📷 Last chance: the FT charity lunch auction closes on Saturday. Bid now for lunch with me, or with one of my much more impressive colleagues, e.g. @mccrum.bsky.social or @jemima.bsky.social 📷 ft.com/auction #FTCharityLunchAuction
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ft.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:53 AM
Martin Wolf too!!
📷 Last chance: the FT charity lunch auction closes on Saturday. Bid now for lunch with me, or with one of my much more impressive colleagues, e.g. @mccrum.bsky.social or @jemima.bsky.social 📷 ft.com/auction #FTCharityLunchAuction
Sorry, GalaBid took too long to load. Please check your internet speed or try again.
ft.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:49 AM
📷 Last chance: the FT charity lunch auction closes on Saturday. Bid now for lunch with me, or with one of my much more impressive colleagues, e.g. @mccrum.bsky.social or @jemima.bsky.social 📷 ft.com/auction #FTCharityLunchAuction
📷 Last chance: the FT charity lunch auction closes on Saturday. Bid now for lunch with me, or with one of my much more impressive colleagues, e.g. @gilliantett or @gideonrachman 📷 ft.com/auction #FTCharityLunchAuction
January 29, 2026 at 9:41 AM
📷 Last chance: the FT charity lunch auction closes on Saturday. Bid now for lunch with me, or with one of my much more impressive colleagues, e.g. @gilliantett or @gideonrachman 📷 ft.com/auction #FTCharityLunchAuction
Reposted by Simon Kuper
The EU‘s fight over the ‚combustion engine ban‘ was a waste of the public‘s attention. Performative politics. By 2035, collectors with special licenses may still want one, if they can pay for the fuel and find some last gas station. History doesn‘t proceed in a linear fashion.
January 27, 2026 at 9:09 PM
The EU‘s fight over the ‚combustion engine ban‘ was a waste of the public‘s attention. Performative politics. By 2035, collectors with special licenses may still want one, if they can pay for the fuel and find some last gas station. History doesn‘t proceed in a linear fashion.
Reposted by Simon Kuper
And you just know those Islingtonians were being ironic.
UK cinemas being paid to play Amazon's pro-Trump propaganda film to near empty rooms
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
January 27, 2026 at 8:41 AM
And you just know those Islingtonians were being ironic.
Reposted by Simon Kuper
Anyone who thinks this won't happen at the 2026 World Cup games in the U.S. is delusional.
ICE to conduct immigration enforcement at Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium, official says
A government official says ICE will conduct immigration enforcement at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara. This comes just days after Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime performer.
abc7news.com
January 26, 2026 at 9:35 PM
Anyone who thinks this won't happen at the 2026 World Cup games in the U.S. is delusional.
Reform replacing the House of Lords as place where forgotten kooks go for the afterlife www.ft.com/content/0d8a...
Suella Braverman becomes latest Tory MP to defect to Reform UK
Former Conservative home secretary announces move at rally for military veterans
www.ft.com
January 26, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Reform replacing the House of Lords as place where forgotten kooks go for the afterlife www.ft.com/content/0d8a...
Reposted by Simon Kuper
Great article @financialtimes.com on American land grabs, which shares my conversation with @simonkuper.bsky.social on the power and unceasing allure of land
www.ft.com/content/d59c...
www.ft.com/content/d59c...
How Trump turned international relations into a real-estate game
With his Greenland obsession, the US president is reviving a national tradition: expansion via land grabs
www.ft.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Great article @financialtimes.com on American land grabs, which shares my conversation with @simonkuper.bsky.social on the power and unceasing allure of land
www.ft.com/content/d59c...
www.ft.com/content/d59c...
Reposted by Simon Kuper
the Chinacene
This was the most astounding chart—supporting his argument that humanity has seen three phases of energy consumption:
1. Prehistory-Industrial Revolution
2. Industrial Revolution-1990s
3. China's acceleration in 1990s to present
1. Prehistory-Industrial Revolution
2. Industrial Revolution-1990s
3. China's acceleration in 1990s to present
January 23, 2026 at 3:10 PM
the Chinacene
Agree. I think he backed down because the stock and bond markets were hit by his Greenland bullshit. Still, Europe was right to stand firm at last
I'm sorry, but I really don't buy the 'Trump backed down because Europe stood firm' argument.
January 23, 2026 at 10:06 PM
Agree. I think he backed down because the stock and bond markets were hit by his Greenland bullshit. Still, Europe was right to stand firm at last
Reposted by Simon Kuper
Het Uur is mijn favoriete Nederlandstalige podcast en het was erg leuk om mijn vriend @simonkuper.bsky.social als gast te horen. Altijd interessant, niet alleen over voetbal. Zijn blik op Nederland is altijd verrijkend.
Simon Kuper: 'Het idee dat dit een rampzalig land is, is belachelijk' | Journalist | Het Uur
Een leven tussen Zuid-Afrika, Groot-Brittannië, Frankrijk en Leiden maakte van Simon Kuper een wereldburger. „In deze tijd van nativisme en Geert Wilders is dat geen populair ding." Toch voelt hij zic...
www.nrc.nl
January 22, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Het Uur is mijn favoriete Nederlandstalige podcast en het was erg leuk om mijn vriend @simonkuper.bsky.social als gast te horen. Altijd interessant, niet alleen over voetbal. Zijn blik op Nederland is altijd verrijkend.
At the 2022 NATO summit Biden congratulated Switzerland on joining the alliance, when he meant Sweden. He had some form of dementia too, but wasn't a sociopath and had a staff of mostly competent people
Question. If Joe Biden called Greenland, “Iceland” four times…. What would the right be saying?
January 22, 2026 at 9:01 AM
At the 2022 NATO summit Biden congratulated Switzerland on joining the alliance, when he meant Sweden. He had some form of dementia too, but wasn't a sociopath and had a staff of mostly competent people
Reposted by Simon Kuper
klinkt raar en bijna egoistisch, maar sinds ik heb gedoneerd voor generatoren voor Ukraine, verdraag ik de verschrikkelijke verhalen over de kou daar ietsje beter (of minder slecht). We zitten bijna op de twee ton. ANBI dus belasting aftrekbaar: vvodiel.nl/doneren/
Vandaag geluisterd, thanks! En bedankt voor het opnieuw onder de aandacht brengen van de Vrienden van Oekraïne 🍀🫡
Doneren en meer informatie : vvodiel.nl/home/
Doneren en meer informatie : vvodiel.nl/home/
Home - VVO Diel
Vrienden van Oekraïne willen we zijn. Het land, de mensen, het hele leven daar worden door Russische agressie bedreigd. Wie houden Poetin...
vvodiel.nl
January 21, 2026 at 10:21 PM
klinkt raar en bijna egoistisch, maar sinds ik heb gedoneerd voor generatoren voor Ukraine, verdraag ik de verschrikkelijke verhalen over de kou daar ietsje beter (of minder slecht). We zitten bijna op de twee ton. ANBI dus belasting aftrekbaar: vvodiel.nl/doneren/
Not the right moment to come out as out of touch with the actual world. UK leaving NATO now would be insane betrayal + shooting self in the foot à la Brexit but worse
EXC: Zack Polanski tells us Britain should consider closing US military bases, leave Nato and denuclearise, as he begins to flesh out the Greens’ foreign policy.
Also spells out to @pippacrerar.bsky.social and me his red lines in any coalition talks to come.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Also spells out to @pippacrerar.bsky.social and me his red lines in any coalition talks to come.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
UK should consider expelling US forces from British bases, says Zack Polanski
Exclusive: Green party leader advocates leaving Nato and says Britain should wean itself off its reliance on the US
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 9:35 AM
Not the right moment to come out as out of touch with the actual world. UK leaving NATO now would be insane betrayal + shooting self in the foot à la Brexit but worse
Reposted by Simon Kuper
FAZ: Norwegian intelligence anticipates that in the event Trump invades Greenland, Russia will launch a coordinated attack to seize the Norwegian archipelago of Spitzbergen
January 20, 2026 at 5:21 AM
FAZ: Norwegian intelligence anticipates that in the event Trump invades Greenland, Russia will launch a coordinated attack to seize the Norwegian archipelago of Spitzbergen
Oxfam have a very topical new report out www.oxfam.org/en/research/...
Resisting the Rule of the Rich | Oxfam International
www.oxfam.org
January 19, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Oxfam have a very topical new report out www.oxfam.org/en/research/...
Reposted by Simon Kuper
Kavanaugh raid
ICE ended up returning the man, Saly, after realizing he’s a fucking US citizen with no criminal record, per his sister-in-law. These fucking animals.
January 19, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Kavanaugh raid
By amazing coincidence, the very same people were also wrong about Brexit. Am sensing some kind of pattern
The very stable geniuses of British politics should not be allowed to forget their sycophancy towards Trump.
January 18, 2026 at 8:51 PM
By amazing coincidence, the very same people were also wrong about Brexit. Am sensing some kind of pattern
Reposted by Simon Kuper
The very stable geniuses of British politics should not be allowed to forget their sycophancy towards Trump.
January 18, 2026 at 8:40 PM
The very stable geniuses of British politics should not be allowed to forget their sycophancy towards Trump.
Reposted by Simon Kuper
I associate this winter with three things: cold, darkness, and gratitude. I am not mentioning Russian missiles and drones because they strike civil infrastructure all year round. That is why we in Kyiv are sitting at minus -17 degrees without heating, electricity, water, or communication. 1/1
January 18, 2026 at 12:15 PM
I associate this winter with three things: cold, darkness, and gratitude. I am not mentioning Russian missiles and drones because they strike civil infrastructure all year round. That is why we in Kyiv are sitting at minus -17 degrees without heating, electricity, water, or communication. 1/1
FT editorial: the constant sacking of football head coaches (wrongly still called "managers") illustrates how badly most clubs are still run. Both clubs and fans need to realise that the head coach just isn't that important. Recruitment (= transfers) matters much more as.ft.com/r/73922630-9...
The ‘big man’ era of football managers is past
[FREE TO READ] As clubs have grown, the gaffer’s power has been diluted by multiple executives
as.ft.com
January 18, 2026 at 11:57 AM
FT editorial: the constant sacking of football head coaches (wrongly still called "managers") illustrates how badly most clubs are still run. Both clubs and fans need to realise that the head coach just isn't that important. Recruitment (= transfers) matters much more as.ft.com/r/73922630-9...
And amidst the global madness, Morocco and Senegal today play the final of the African Nations Cup. Me @FinancialTimes on how the diaspora is revitalising African football, Zidane on the field and in stands, and the guy who's a Patrice Lumumba statue as.ft.com/r/6147632f-f...
Afcon and the power of a footballing diaspora
[FREE TO READ] A compelling tournament has shown the importance of players — and fans — raised outside Africa
as.ft.com
January 18, 2026 at 10:59 AM
And amidst the global madness, Morocco and Senegal today play the final of the African Nations Cup. Me @FinancialTimes on how the diaspora is revitalising African football, Zidane on the field and in stands, and the guy who's a Patrice Lumumba statue as.ft.com/r/6147632f-f...
Reposted by Simon Kuper
Looks like the EU-US trade deal is now dead, with all three major groups in the EU Parliament calling at least for suspension. The downward spiral has already begun.
January 17, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Looks like the EU-US trade deal is now dead, with all three major groups in the EU Parliament calling at least for suspension. The downward spiral has already begun.
Reposted by Simon Kuper
How it started ... How it's going
January 17, 2026 at 9:58 PM
How it started ... How it's going