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By the lovely Grace Farris.
P.S. My spring sports and a U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team member’s beauty uniform.
Things I’m Looking Forward to in the World Cup
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Dear Grace,
greetings from Croatia!!
Love how you draw out national shirt😊
😂👍
The World Cup is cheering up America & the World!
Oh I love this one. Beautiful observations (as always) x
I thought about boycotting this world cup, because Infantino and Trump, and their putrid bromance has made it seem so awful. And the way some officials, players and probably fans too, have been treated by US immigration is also really racist and wrong. Good reasons to boycott in my view. But I’m a big football fan, especially English PL and Champions league, and I know that playing in a world cup is what all of these players work so hard for years to achieve. It’s huge for them, and it’s a huge world wide cultural phenomenon that brings joy to literally billions of people on this planet. So for those reasons, I’ve decided I’m not going to boycott it, I’m going to watch it and enjoy it (from afar, I am not attending) because why should we let those disgusting old white guys with their greed and corruption ruin this for us?
So yes, I get this and the sentiment behind it is obviously coming from a really good place. HOWEVER, this is a bit like saying “I choose not to watch the news because it’s too depressing” or “joy is an act of resistance”. Choosing to support FIFA in any capacity is choosing to support those disgusting old white guys alongside their greed and corruption, full stop. It’s completely enmeshed and impossible to separate.
Ofc the players have worked hard to get there and it’s a huge deal for them, so don’t they deserve a better environment as well?
By boycotting/protesting/educating people on why FIFA is corrupt, perhaps we can effect change (a girl can dream) so that the players can work in a safer, less morally bankrupt environment, fans can enjoy the festivities without supporting the atrocities that come as a direct result of FIFA’s actions, and men like Infantino, Trump, and everyone else involved finally lose the spotlight they so desperately crave.
As a European, I am probably more aware of how corrupt FIFA is. If you want to learn more, search regarding FIFA, corruption, slavery, sexual abuse, human trafficking. It is a truly terrible body of men.
Does anyone else feel like men’s World Cup is not the real World Cup? I I used to be equally into men’s and women’s sports but in the last 10 years it’s like I cannot muster the enthusiasm to care about men’s sports.
We’re making such a deal out of this World Cup being in North America, but like the women’s already did it twice!
I’ve been joking with my husband that I can now call myself a WAG as I think that title should be extended to any person who is the partner of a football fan! He’s a massive football fan, we watch a lot of European soccer leagues and are looking forward to watching the world cup together (the South Korea v Czechia game last night was a great way to kick things off). We did try to get tickets for our city but they are outrageously priced, so unless the prices drop day of- we shall contend ourselves to watching at our local sports bar. FIFA might be corrupt, but it is really lovely to see the way in which sports can bring people from all walks of life together.
Thank you Your last sentence is the beauty of sports.
I don’t follow soccer, but Erling Haaland was at the Carolina Hurricanes vs Las Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup finals game in Raleigh last night!
CANES IN 6 🎉 WOOOOOO!
Yes Canes in 6!!!!!!!
I appreciate that NYC has made efforts to make games and fandom more accessible to locals with initiatives like the lottery for $50 tickets and today’s drop of $50 NYC soccer jerseys, even if the distribution system was kind of a mess. No one who knows anything about FIFA had any illusions about this being an accessible or populist tournament, but boy was I not expecting it to be as cynical as it’s turned out to be! I hope this city and others are able to band together and have fun with it the way we have with the Knicks’ championship run. There’s a collective, inclusive excitement around events like this that even DHS and Gianni Infantino can’t spoil.
I think that for a lot of people, the issue is that FIFA is ultimately an incredibly corrupt organisation that has caused irreperable harm across the world. And like I get that there’s for sure a collective excitement but unfortunately people like Infantino DO spoil it. So yeah, I’m cynical (and mad, and disgusted) and I don’t think comparing this to the Knicks’ run works in this context.
I completely agree with you, Alex! I meant that FIFA itself is cynical, and I’m as angry and disgusted as you are.
I am watching the games not played in the US. I wanted to do a full boycott given the embarrassing and corrupt government. Our country should be ashamed and financial boycotts should be felt by the oligarchs.
I looked at buying tickets: $1295 face value for Japan v. Sweden and $11130 face value for Winner Game 97 v Winner Game 98. I don’t care about soccer but thought I would go for the experience if it was a couple hundred dollars but that’s too rich for my blood! Hope everyone else has fun though. Too bad the US team isn’t being celebrated globally, such an underdog and so many “true american story” players.
Why would the US team be celebrated globally? Doesn’t every country celebrate their own team?
Thirza, there are 48 teams in the World Cup, but 195 countries in the world.
@Carolyn Yeah, but so many qualified players and officials were denied American visas.
Yeah, I gotta go along with this comment. So unfair.
I am boiling with anger about the Somalian referee in particular; it is absolutely shameful that our government can’t differentiate between people with the same name. I know that American soccer fans will do their best to be good hosts to World Cup visitors who love the game as much as we do, but Andrew Giuliani and his cohort are a stain.
I am surprised the world isn’t boycotting America to be honest – I am disgusted that America gets to bully the whole world and people keep on turning up. But that’s sport isn’t it? Players are guilty of rape- doesn’t matter, they’re really good at swimming or kicking a ball. Sport it seems is the international language of brutes.
this is news to me, I’m just seeing lots of videos of international travelers enjoying themselves in the states. as I said, I’m not a sports person
The kindness on display across the country as international fans discover the US is joyous and emotional. I love soccer and the World Cup (not you, FIFA) and can’t wait for the game tonight.
En route right now with my family for our first World Cup game! I can’t wait to make core family memories with our kids and share our love of the beautiful game. The best!
Live in Atlanta so we are trying to avoid traffic but hoping to spot some soccer teams around!
I pray that these events are well-planned and there is no more violence at them.
For some reason seeing people sing their national anthem together makes me *very* emotional, so I start off watching each game all teary. (Doubly so for my birth country of South Korea–the Aegukga gets me right in the feels.)
Kirby- I’m a pacifist, and my anthem makes me cry every time.
Amanda- me too. An anthem feels like the embodiment of a hope, a dream, a shared culture of home. Singing together and dreaming of home, beautiful and flawed all together.
I’ve been loving the international players who are experiencing American chain restaurants for the first time (Chili’s, Taco Bell, iHop at 1 am) and RAVING about them!
I am not a sports person, but it *seems* like this is the best thing that could ever happen for the American tourism industry – especially at this particular point in time
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