Right there with you - FIFA sucks but I adore the World Cup. I'm taking my soccer obsessed son to see Netherlands vs Japan this weekend and I am SO, SO excited to get to see a game, but also feel like I need to, like, wear a t-shirt with disclaimers that I know FIFA is terrible, the ticket situation is awful, the US is bad host nation, etc.
Writing to you from Vancouver, a 2026 World Cup Host City of course. I would say so far the vibe here has been, for the most part, anti-Fifa and not excited? At least in my peer group. But I want to get excited and high five strangers from around the world and party in the streets (while giving as little money as possible to FIFA themselves), so we'll see how this goes. Thank you for writing about the World Cup, because I want to learn about it from you, and not from traditional sports media! Looking forward to your musings!
Hard agree with the main sentiment here, but i also don't even really like football? Still, i'm very excited for the world cup this year. Maybe because Norway qualified for the first time since 1998 🇧🇻
I’m so excited to hear your thoughts throughout the tournament! Also hate FIFA and Alexi Lalas- I was silently howling at how he clearly keeps tabs on what everyone is saying about him on Twitter. I’m for Croatia but will now be so excited to see Uruguay play!
2006 was my 1st World Cup as an Albiceleste fan and I've not watched a game in English since (creo que me pondría a llorar). Living the world cup as an Argentine fan in Argentina is a unique experience because that paralysis you mentioned as personal is NATIONWIDE here, so it's always a time. The 2010 edition stands out largely because my C-section pre-op was spent watching Holand Australia w/techs moments before my epidural. Special times.
FIFA is a godless spineless organization and your lovely and eloquent summary/rant has inspired me to write about another wild World Cup with a backdrop of HR violations and repression: Buenos Aires, 1978. (After the MX/RSA game, obvi)
In the meantime, go catch the Maná set replay, something tells me you're gonna love it ;)
I am living in a personal conflict of joy that games are at manageable times for EST, with deep nostalgia over setting alarms to wake up at odd hours for games on the far side of the planet. I guess I just shut up, enjoy it and save my complaints for 2030!
England fan here. I too love the World Cup and hate FIFA. Glad that now it has started we can now focus on the actual football and not the shit show that in recent years always seems to accompany FIFA and the hosts.
Least excited I’ve been for any World Cup but I’ll be once again rooting for all Latin American countries, Switzerland (where I was born, my one tenuous tie to the place), and Iran. I just want an underdog to catch a break, you know?
I keep thinking how much fun fans will have in Mexico, how welcome they’ll be in Canada, and how harassed/surveilled they’ll be in the US 😢
Thank you for covering this. I’ve watched every cup since 2002 and it’s a blast. I have the same conflicted feelings about fifa and watching the tournament. I look forward to more of your posts.
Right there with you - FIFA sucks but I adore the World Cup. I'm taking my soccer obsessed son to see Netherlands vs Japan this weekend and I am SO, SO excited to get to see a game, but also feel like I need to, like, wear a t-shirt with disclaimers that I know FIFA is terrible, the ticket situation is awful, the US is bad host nation, etc.
As a non-football fan, Clara's is literally the only take on the World Cup I would/will read.
Same! And I appreciate what I learn about culture from her, both the shared interests and newly introduced ones.
Writing to you from Vancouver, a 2026 World Cup Host City of course. I would say so far the vibe here has been, for the most part, anti-Fifa and not excited? At least in my peer group. But I want to get excited and high five strangers from around the world and party in the streets (while giving as little money as possible to FIFA themselves), so we'll see how this goes. Thank you for writing about the World Cup, because I want to learn about it from you, and not from traditional sports media! Looking forward to your musings!
Hard agree with the main sentiment here, but i also don't even really like football? Still, i'm very excited for the world cup this year. Maybe because Norway qualified for the first time since 1998 🇧🇻
I'm cheering for Norway based solely on their team photo! Go Vikings!
I’m so excited to hear your thoughts throughout the tournament! Also hate FIFA and Alexi Lalas- I was silently howling at how he clearly keeps tabs on what everyone is saying about him on Twitter. I’m for Croatia but will now be so excited to see Uruguay play!
2006 was my 1st World Cup as an Albiceleste fan and I've not watched a game in English since (creo que me pondría a llorar). Living the world cup as an Argentine fan in Argentina is a unique experience because that paralysis you mentioned as personal is NATIONWIDE here, so it's always a time. The 2010 edition stands out largely because my C-section pre-op was spent watching Holand Australia w/techs moments before my epidural. Special times.
FIFA is a godless spineless organization and your lovely and eloquent summary/rant has inspired me to write about another wild World Cup with a backdrop of HR violations and repression: Buenos Aires, 1978. (After the MX/RSA game, obvi)
In the meantime, go catch the Maná set replay, something tells me you're gonna love it ;)
Most importantly (for me) Peacock - the only network-specific streaming we subscribe to - will have the Telemundo coverage in full. Feels right.
I wish they would offer it also in English tho!
I feel this post in my soul. every take is the correct one, especially the alexi lalas hate.
Considering neither of us consider ourselves to be die-hard football fans, my husband and I are LOCKED IN for this Men's world cup.
I am living in a personal conflict of joy that games are at manageable times for EST, with deep nostalgia over setting alarms to wake up at odd hours for games on the far side of the planet. I guess I just shut up, enjoy it and save my complaints for 2030!
England fan here. I too love the World Cup and hate FIFA. Glad that now it has started we can now focus on the actual football and not the shit show that in recent years always seems to accompany FIFA and the hosts.
Least excited I’ve been for any World Cup but I’ll be once again rooting for all Latin American countries, Switzerland (where I was born, my one tenuous tie to the place), and Iran. I just want an underdog to catch a break, you know?
I keep thinking how much fun fans will have in Mexico, how welcome they’ll be in Canada, and how harassed/surveilled they’ll be in the US 😢
footnote #7, chef's kiss
Thank you for covering this. I’ve watched every cup since 2002 and it’s a blast. I have the same conflicted feelings about fifa and watching the tournament. I look forward to more of your posts.
Thank you for sharing my story haha - Love the Men’s World Cup and loathe its organization!
happy wxrld cxp to all!