The FIFA World Cup, a unique blend of history, memory, identity, skill, athleticism, and entertainment, continues to ignite passion unmatched by any other sporting event. Whether it leaves lasting legacies on global issues will be debated long after the winner is crowned on 19 July. For 39 days, the world can take a respite.
When the FIFA World Cup kicks off on 11 June, Nigeria will be on the menu but not as a competitor. Nigerian musician Burna Boy will headline the opening ceremony in a duet with Colombian superstar Shakira, who makes her second appearance at a World Cup opening, her first being in 2010 in South Africa.
Despite challenging trade and diplomatic relations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States jointly host the tournament. This marks the second time in history that the World Cup is shared among joint hosts, following South Korea and Japan in 2002.
A Tournament Amidst Global Uncertainty
This year's tournament occurs in a time of profound uncertainty and serious questions about international peace and security. It could serve as a showcase for coexistence in a fragile world.
Awkward political and diplomatic subtexts have never been far from the World Cup. Uruguay hosted the first edition in 1930 at the onset of the Great Depression. The Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, venue of the final, was built to commemorate 100 years of Uruguay's independence from Spain in 1830. Spain stayed away. Thirteen countries participated, with the hosts subsidizing travel and accommodation, enabling four European nations—Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia—to attend.
Italy's ruler, Benito Mussolini, hosted the 1934 tournament, turning it into a prop for fascist iconography. Political machinations on and off the field helped Italy emerge as winners, beginning an Italian spring in world football. Two years later, Italy beat Austria for the gold medal at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics.
By the time the third World Cup arrived in France on 4 June 1938, Austria, a favorite for the title, no longer existed. On 12 March, Hitler's troops crossed the border, and the Anschluss began. Italy's triumph on 19 June 1938 made it the first defending champion to retain the World Cup, coinciding with the height of Hitler's National Socialism and Mussolini's fascism. Fourteen months later, Germany invaded Poland, starting World War II.
Racism and Decolonisation
Racism was an early theme. Brazil's Leônidas da Silva, the top scorer in 1938, was a black man whose skills challenged white supremacy. In his absence, Italy beat Brazil in the semi-final amid suspicions his exclusion was pressured by tournament administrators.
The competition paused for 12 years. When it returned in 1950 in Brazil, Hitler and Mussolini were defeated, and decolonisation was underway. India, independent less than three years, qualified but withdrew shortly before the tournament.
The 1978 World Cup in Argentina was a propaganda victory for the host's military dictatorship. The Navy Mechanical School torture centre was within earshot of Estadio Monumental, venue of the final, which Argentina won for the first time.
This year, despite ongoing conflict and an uncertain ceasefire between Iran and the US, FIFA confirmed Iran will compete, playing all three group stage matches inside the US. Iran is among 48 countries competing in 104 matches across 16 venues in the three host nations.
Venues and Matchups
The opening match between Mexico and South Africa on 11 June is one of five at Azteca Stadium, which hosted Diego Maradona's coronation in 1986. Guadalajara and Monterrey each host four matches. Canada hosts 13 matches: seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, hosts the final, one of 11 US venues for 78 games.
Other US venues include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle. Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, hosts seven matches, including a quarter-final on 9 July. Countries scheduled for group matches at Gillette Stadium include England, France, Ghana, Haiti, Iraq, Morocco, Norway, and Scotland.
Despite concerns about US immigration policies, these countries share rich histories with New England, promising intriguing contests and enthusiastic fan interest.
Post-Colonial Narratives
Historically, the World Cup has been a contest between European and Latin American countries. Decolonisation expanded participation from 13 to 48 nations. This year's tournament promises post-colonial subtexts.
The first match at Boston Stadium on 13 June is between Haiti and Scotland. For Haiti, site of the first successful slave revolt and affected by US immigration restrictions, playing in Boston—once a hub in the transatlantic slave trade—carries evocative irony. Scotland and Boston share a history dating back to Scottish prisoners of war banished to the Boston Bay colony in the mid-17th century. The Scots Charitable Society, founded in 1657, is the oldest charitable organization in the Western hemisphere.
On 16 June, MetLife Stadium hosts a post-colonial derby between France and Senegal. When they met in the 2002 World Cup opener, Senegal won shockingly. This time, Senegal will likely enjoy support from the substantial Senegalese-origin population in the New York-New Jersey area.
The contest between England and Ghana on 23 June similarly inspires post-colonial passions. When Spain meets Uruguay in Guadalajara on 26 June, they re-enact the original post-colonial narrative present at the World Cup's birth.
This interplay of history, memory, identity, skill, and entertainment is why the World Cup evokes unparalleled passion. Whether it leaves lasting legacies will be debated long after the winner is settled on 19 July. For 39 days, the world can take a break.
