Unity, despite being originally stressed as an “overarching theme” of this World Cup, has “not been the prevailing sentiment of late among the three host countries” as the tournament is set to kick off, according to James Wagner of the N.Y. TIMES. Execution of this neighboring-allies World Cup, hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, has “not been seamless.” Since beginning his second term last year, President Trump has “repeatedly targeted Mexico and Canada with verbal attacks, vows of military action and tariffs.” There has also been “widespread criticism of the prices for a tournament that was billed as being inclusive.” For many global fans, the politics hanging over the tournament often “recede once the games begin and the cheers for their national teams start.” But in both Mexico and Canada, there is a feeling that “their nations will serve only complementary roles in this event.” They each get to hold 13 games, in three Mexican and two Canadian cities. By contrast, the U.S. -- a bigger country, with larger stadiums -- is holding 78 games across 11 cities, including the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final. To many in Mexico and Canada, it “is clear that FIFA was mainly targeting the United States, the largest economy in the world” (N.Y. TIMES, 6/11).
JUST NOT THE SAME: In N.Y., Ishaan Tharoor writes so far, Trump is “dominating the buildup to the World Cup for all the wrong reasons.” But glimmers of a “happier World Cup are already there to see” (NEW YORKER, 6/11). THE ATLANTIC’s Rafaela Jinich wrote, “No World Cup has ever been entirely isolated from politics, but this one has become unusually entangled with a single figure.” Trump has “embraced the tournament as a showcase of American strength,” and FIFA has been “eager to oblige.” There is a version of the tournament that works: “The games happen, the teams play, and the politics fade into the background.” But the fact remains that this World Cup “started as an alliance between three countries, and is now a reminder of how fractured that bond has become” (THE ATLANTIC, 6/10).
LOST BEFORE PLAYING: USA TODAY’s Nancy Armour wrote the U.S. has “already lost this World Cup.” The USMNT “could make a historically deep run,” but it “will not change the fact that we have shown ourselves to be a hateful and greedy nation.” One where leaders are “only willing to welcome a world as they want to see it rather than as it exists, and the love of the game is exploited for top dollar.” Instead of letting the World Cup “unite us, we’ve used it as an excuse to divide” (USA TODAY, 6/10).
JUST CHAOS: In Sydney, Nick Ralston noted that former England player turned pundit Ian Wright took to social media on Tuesday, “describing the tournament and the lead-up to it as ‘a World Cup of chaos.’” Wright said, “Every few hours it’s another story, another story about fans denied, players denied, officials denied, journalists denied, now refs.” Days out before the Australian national team plays Turkey in the first of seven matches in Vancouver, there are “signs of World Cup fever -- even if it hasn’t truly ignited.” Soccer fan and creator of Men in Blazers Roger Bennett says that it is “similar in the US.” But just “give it another day or two.” Bennett said, “The mood in the United States is as it is for any massive sporting event -- the event begins almost the night before it begins.” He said, “Even the World Cup has to wait its turn” (SYDNEY MORNING-HERALD, 6/10).
GATHER ROUND THE CAMPFIRE: In San Jose, Dieter Kurtenbach wrote the World Cup is this planet’s “last great campfire -- perhaps the singular monocultural event left to us, the human race, blurring borders just enough to remind us we share the same rock.” These games are a “wonderful, fleeting distraction from the unyielding things that actually matter” (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 6/10).
