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Dozens of world leaders are descending on Brazil during the World Cup to play a bit of soccer diplomacy, from Germany鈥檚 Angela Merkel to Russia鈥檚 Vladimir Putin.

But for the United States, Vice President Joseph Biden鈥檚 attendance at today鈥檚 USA-Ghana match and meeting afterward with President Dilma Rousseff holds special significance. This will be the highest-level bilateral meeting聽since relations broke down last October over reports that the US National Security Agency spied on Brazilian companies, citizens, and the president herself.聽

鈥淚t is a way to restart high-level contacts,鈥� says Rafael Alcadipani da Silveira, professor at Rio de Janeiro-based business school Funda莽茫o Get煤lio Vargas.聽鈥淗is visit is to show that Brazil-US relations are normal, business as usual.鈥�

Yet with Brazil and the US still far from resolving their cybersecurity row, and given uncertainty surrounding President Rousseff鈥檚 political future after the upcoming October presidential election, the summit is expected to be mostly symbolic. Indeed, the chances of Mr. Biden scoring diplomatic points with Brazil appear about as good as underdog Team USA鈥檚 likelihood of advancing out of its so-called Group of Death against Ghana, Germany, and Portugal.聽

鈥淚t is unrealistic to expect much substantive progress as a result of Biden鈥檚 visit to Brazil,鈥澛爏ays Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington.聽鈥淔or Rousseff聽鈥撀爄n the midst of a World Cup tournament, widespread protests, and critical elections coming up聽鈥撀爐he timing couldn鈥檛 be worse.鈥�

President Obama isn鈥檛 breaking precedent in staying home, as he also declined to attend the 2010 World Cup聽鈥撀燼lthough South Africa lacked Brazil鈥檚 geographic significance as a political and economic powerhouse in America鈥檚 backyard. And to be sure, Obama also faces significant challenges at home and abroad that deserve his attention, such as the crisis in Iraq.

Still, Biden isn鈥檛 quite dealing with a dead ball. A hint toward discussion topics was given in a May 8聽 saying that Biden spoke by phone with Rousseff and聽鈥渄iscussed regional developments and the importance of working together with other countries in the Americas to address current political, economic, and social challenges.鈥澛燨ne of the top regional crises now is the violent standoff in Venezuela between the government and opposition activists. Talks may also follow up on US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew鈥檚 visit to Brazil in March on the restart of US-Brazil trade ties, says Mr. Alcadipani.

The elephant in the room will be the allegations of cyber-espionage. Rousseff said earlier this month that she might reschedule a visit to Washington if the US gives a聽鈥渃lear signal鈥澛爐o stop eavesdropping, though she may not get that opportunity. A recent Ibope poll found only 40 percent of Brazilians intend to vote for Rousseff in October, leading some聽聽analysts to declare she is unlikely to win reelection.

鈥淭he opportunity to patch up the strained bilateral relationship will likely come after the October elections,鈥澛爏ays Mr. Shifter.