https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/73...paign=601983&userId=5609207&source=dailyemail Well worth the read if you subscribe.
So, so ready for the games to start; sometimes it isn't so much a case of sportswashing as it is exhaustion dealing with the things one focuses on the run-up. Qatar 2022 and human rights, Russia 2018 and Ukraine and LGBTQ rights, Brazil 2014 and the economy and FIFA corruption, South Africa 2010 and whether the country could handle it and wasted money on stadiums . . . it's a major focus in the run-up to these tournaments. And it's damn exhausting. That doesn't mean there isn't merit in any or all of the issues raised in advance of these tournaments, of course. Certainly not this time around. But if you've smiled at the videos of fans - locals in random places like Lawrence, Kansas turning out to support the Algerians, Dutch fans dancing and singing en masse, the Scots arriving from all corners of the globe, and you cheer when the games start today, you won't be alone in feeling a catharsis of sorts. The postmortem will raise all the issues again, which won't have gone away but will have been secondary during the tournament itself.
What’s most exhausting in this, for me, is an organization with the power of FIFA, with their constant posturing of being for development of the game, being nothing more than a vehicle to extract money from consumers
Yes, This. And also the sadness of what it could have been, should have been, if not for grifters getting to extra grift because of the current US political situation. It may all come out in the wash but it wont be what it could have been.
USSF has blood on their hands too. Nothing is stopping them from buying tickets to then give to local school, kids, organizations, etc
Not the opening goal I thought we’d see but a good example of modern soccer with one team trying to play out of the back and the other high pressing
To open up the counter they want they have to stretch Mexico…. But that doesn’t mean you need to do it constantly like they are
I mean we probably wouldn't be dealing the the travel stuff and Iran, but most of this grift is on FIFA, right? Reading an Athletic article, Rahm Emanuel saw right through what FIFA was doing and that's why Chicago isn't hosting any games. Or am I not following your point?
Mamdani and Ny showed that you can at least get something by using your power. Let’s also not forget the reason for the resale insanity is that this country hasn’t clamped down on it like any other supposed western leader. fifa pushes the boundaries of where they operate, but they don’t rewrite law
You think a different administration cracks down on ticket sale rules? That seems rather low on the list of priorities, even if they did put forth a better effort to try to make these games what they should be. Sounds like FIFA made plans around the light regulation environment here many years ago. Would have been interesting to see what happened if European ticket policy was implemented ~1 before the first match. Oh well. I'm going to have to turn my brain off and just try to enjoy the games. We can and should loudly complain when it's all over.
The point is that FIFA has free reign partnering with Mango Mussolini who does nothing but grift. FIFA gonna FIFA but I don't think the other options for Commander in Chief would have given them the keys to the country for a fake Peace Award. I do think that things would be different under almost any other administration. It's less about the ticketing system or whatever, and more about who we are as a country. We've been numbed to the fall of our reputation and world "respect" by the constant grift and destruction of every single social norm by an administration that would sell it's soul if they could go back and have someone invite them to prom. But hopefully we can forget all of that for a month or two and just enjoy some soccer.
Seattle worked with local organizations to buy and distribute 1400 tickets to area youth plus caregivers. Tickets, transportation, and food vouchers. https://www.seattleschild.com/free-fifa-world-cup-tickets-youth-seattle/
Yes, I do think another administration steps in. This is quite literally the purpose of the CFPB that trump has destroyed. This administration can’t decide if it wants to ******** its own population with a needless war or attacking social safety nets under the guise of “woke agenda”. While also inflating the deficit at an absurd pace by both increasing spending and cutting revenue down through needless tax cuts So Yeah Another administration does better and steps over the bar set at the depth of the drained reflecting pool and passes on the octagon
In the dead of night the Scots arrived at the Airbnb across the street. Decked out and playing the pipes at 6:30 am. So it begins… pic.twitter.com/LczU1loVXp— Mike Morrison (@MDMorrison82) June 11, 2026
FOX is doing full commercials during hydration breaks, causing viewers to miss some actual play. This is a direct violation of the arrangements with FIFA (to my knowledge). Yet I have doubts that FiFA stops them.
I just think so much of this was planned and set in motion before the current administration was in place that most of what we're seeing wouldn't be much different. In short, it'd still be crazy expensive but at least people would be free to come and go as they wanted. Maybe the CFPB gets involved after the games are over. There definitely wouldn't be a peace prize.
All of the stuff on FIFA's end, absolutely. They were always going to squeeze every last penny from this one.
I agree. I don’t think it has anything to do with whatever administration is in power. I would LOVE to say it does. But it doesn’t.
In this World Cup 3 minute hydration breaks are required in each half of every game. Tonight it’s 76F in Guadalajara. With no sun beating down on them. Yet the breaks happen.
I understand the logic of having them in every game to maintain a level of fairness, but yeah it looks stupid. Granted 3 of the 4 teams yesterday needed them for altitude rather than heat
I saw someone post on FB or Reddit that the Spanish language channels aren't cutting to commercial during the hydration breaks. They're running replays and discussing the match while commercials play on the edge (like a PIP setup). I might have to switch over to those channels today. Commercials during the middle of the game are quite jarring, regardless of how accustomed I've gotten to it while watching basketball and football games.