Ding, 24, made it to the U.S. through a football diplomacy program of sorts. The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) / USA Football International Student Program offers football training clinics for foreign teens, and funds educational opportunities in the States for promising players

This summer the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship will be jointly hosted by Ukraine and Poland: An excellent opportunity for the European community to bond over its favorite sport, and for Ukraine, which for a long time has been aspiring EU membership, to promote its image.

In parallel, sport is simultaneously being used to boost participation in sport amongst the population, improve health and lifestyles, promote social cohesion, enable the generation of country branding opportunities, and provide the basis for international networking and political influence.

The man responsible for Ukraine's Euro 2012 football championship has said Uefa is doing more than the EU institutions to modernise the country..."I think the image of the Ukrainian police will change during this tournament ... I think Europe will discover Ukraine."

More than just being an element of post-Cold War soft power or as part of a country’s diplomatic strategy, a closer study into the game of football throws up several important characteristics that could inform our understanding of the political paradigm of the ASEAN community and its relations with the rest of the world.

The itinerary of Pakistani football team’s proposed tour of Palestine in a few months time has generated a controversy among Islamists and political leaders who fear the tour will be used as cover up for another back channel secret diplomacy between Islamabad and Tel Aviv.

There is every indication that the introduction of American Football Game into the country could become an important industry for the people of Ghana. The game has many advantages, which consists of employment for the youth, entertaining the public, bringing some contact with the American public, drawing in foreign income for the country, and the adequate use of talented individuals, especially as managers, specialists, commentators, and analysts.