FIFA World Cup

Amal Sastry, Staff Writer

The World Cup is a global soccer tournament held every four years. It is organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and features 32 teams from different countries around the world. The first World Cup tournament was held in 1930 in Uruguay. Since then, the tournament has grown in popularity and prestige, with millions of fans around the world eagerly anticipating each tournament. The World Cup is more than just a soccer tournament; it is a celebration of the world’s most popular sport. For many fans, it is a chance to see their favorite players and teams compete on the biggest stage. It is also an opportunity for countries to come together and compete in a friendly and exciting atmosphere. The World Cup is a showcase of some of the world’s best soccer talent. Players from around the world compete in the tournament, and many of them go on to have successful careers in the sport.  

 

FIFA World Cup Trophy

Some of the greatest players in the history of soccer have competed in the World Cup, and their performances have inspired fans and future generations of players. In addition to the competition on the field, the World Cup is also a celebration of the host country’s culture and traditions. Host countries often put on a show for the world, with colorful and festive displays of music, dance, and food. The World Cup is a chance for the host country to showcase its unique culture and to share it with the world. This year’s world cup has featured many exciting matches and unforeseen upsets such as Morocco knocking out both Spain and Portugal. The winner, Argentina, received the world cup trophy made of solid gold and standing 1.3 feet tall. It weighs 13.5 pounds and is made of malachite, a green mineral. The trophy is designed in the shape of a globe, with the earth’s continents represented on its surface.  

 

This year’s world cup is being held in Qatar and is quite controversial. The controversy began in 2010 when Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World cup by FIFA and several allegations surfaced that the FIFA officials who chose Qatar accepted various kinds of bribes. The former head of FIFA in a recent statement also said that choosing Qatar was a mistake and that some other larger country should have been chosen. Additionally, Qatar has been accused of “sportswashing,, a term used to describe when a country uses prestigious sporting events to increase their international reputation. They specifically have been accused of targeting women, migrants, minorities, and LGBTQ+ people with extremely harsh laws. Another reason why this world cup was so controversial is how Qatar has been allegedly mistreating migrant workers. Many migrant workers have died in Qatar even though their government claims that only 3 were as a direct result of building the infrastructure needed to support the world cup.  

 

 

 

Sources: 

https://www.npr.org/2022/11/18/1137204271/qatar-world-cup-controversies 

https://www.vox.com/world/23450515/world-cup-fifa-qatar-2022-controversy-scandals-explained 

https://abcnews.go.com/International/qatar-soccer-world-cup-controversial/story?id=93283278 

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/world-cup-2022-why-is-qatar-controversial-location-fifa-tournament-2022-11-15/ 

https://www.axios.com/2022/11/21/world-cup-qatar-controversy  

https://theconversation.com/why-is-the-qatar-fifa-world-cup-so-controversial-192627  

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/the-world-cup-is-officially-underway-in-qatar-heres-why-its-so-controversial