# China Soft Power

Steppe Dreams: How China’s Dairy Giant is Leveraging the World Cup for Grassroots Soft Power

Mengniu Dairy has selected six students from Inner Mongolia to serve as flag bearers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening match, highlighting a strategic blend of global sports sponsorship and regional social investment. The initiative underscores the brand's effort to connect international commercial presence with grassroots football development in China's northern frontier.