Could Sports Ever Replace War?

The recent excitement over the World Cup made us think: could a competitive sporting event ever replace war? It's easy to see the similarity between games and warfare: both often involve strategy, cunning, and even (or especially) national pride. Plus, sports are not totally without value in terms of international relations: history has shown that politically charged soccer games and "ping-pong policy" can impact diplomacy. But could a match substitute true combat, and the results honored as definitive during global discord?