PHILADELPHIA — The World Cup is at roughly its midway point.
Its buildup was largely marked by chaos and high costs from bureaucrats and politicians; the first two weeks of soccer have been magic on the pitch and a multicultural spectacle off it.
Saturday is the final day of the group stage, with no rest before the knockout rounds begin Sunday.
In the past two weeks, I’ve covered matches in five different World Cup cities for Front Office Sports. I caught the U.S. men’s national team’s opener in Los Angeles, Lionel Messi’s hat trick in Kansas City, the Dutch march on Houston, a stormy night in New Jersey, and a Philadelphian embrace of Les Elephants.
There are uniformities. FIFA uses a similar stadium playlist that includes “Espresso” and “Texas Hold ’Em.” Mexico and Messi jerseys are everywhere. Foreign media is often cheering in the press box. Fans dash to the bathroom during the new hydration breaks. And shelter-in-place warnings are common.
