The World Cup is the biggest show on earth. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide watched Lionel Messi’s Argentina win the 2022 final, making it the most watched event of any kind globally. This year, 48 teams have travelled to the USA, Canada and Mexico for an expanded tournament which Fifa hopes will be the most spectacular yet.
But ahead of kick-off this week, this year’s World Cup remains shrouded in controversy. Fans have been enraged by vastly inflated prices for tickets, transport and accommodation, and as a result stadiums for many games are not close to selling out. Fans from some nations will not be able to attend games in the USA because of travel bans brought in by the Trump administration, and the war between the US and Iran – whose national team are scheduled to play in Los Angeles and Seattle – is not yet at an end.
So, will this be the worst World Cup ever? England fan Jon Sopel, The i Paper’s chief football writer Daniel Storey and Tartan Army spokesman Hamish Husband give their perspectives.
The World Cup always finds a way. It is a global spectacle and a cultural phenomenon and, as such, its true purpose usually shines through. Four years ago in Qatar, I covered human rights abuses, the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and the climate cost of building vast stadiums. The defining images for many? Saudi Arabia beating Argentina early on, Morocco becoming the first African nation to reach a semi-final and Lionel Messi finally lifting the trophy.
