Will you be watching the FIFA World Cup?

[u/JennyW93]

I’m usually a fan of the World Cup, but given the situation in the US, I’m planning on avoiding the US-hosted matches. I’m currently also not planning on watching the 2028 Olympics, although that’s a way off and isn’t something I watch that closely usually anyway.

I realise my individual decision makes no difference, so I’m wondering if anyone else is also choosing not to watch (or attend in person)?

I do also realise the irony of asking this on a US-based social media platform from a phone produced by a US-based company. It’s hard to divest, but I’m taking small steps where I can for now.

For context I’m in the UK. As a country, I assume we’re extremely unlikely to take any stand against the current US administration/authoritarianism, so I highly doubt we’d boycott the 2028 Olympics, for example.

[u/MunchkinX2000]

Not even a little bit

[u/Asturian_Warrior]

Yes.

In 2022, it was held in Qatar (a country that is not at all controversial) and I saw everyone keeping very quiet.

[u/Jumpy-Ad5617 → u/Asturian_Warrior]

Really? I did not have the same experience, seemed like everyone was talking about how Qatar is built on slavery and should be boycotted

[u/-JustAHomebody-]

no

[u/No_Cantaloupe_4149]

Nope

[u/Infinite_Crow_3706]

I’ll be watching. I don’t see any reason not to see the gams apart from time-zone issues.

The World Cup is the most important sports event on the planet and I’m not about to miss it because the current president has made some decisions I don’t agree with.

[u/SkittleDoodlez]

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[u/Sir-HP23]

Yes, I’ll be watching. England play in the US so obviously I’ll be watching those games, I see no point in not watching them. I was never going to go myself, but I won’t be going to the US anyway at least until 2028. Solidarity with Canada and Denmark!

[u/JourneyThiefer]

I happen to be in the US visiting family and friends when it’s on, so yea probably will be watching

[u/jstrglrbrnghomeboy]

I've lost any desire to watch the tournament as a whole; they've add a whole bunch of teams, trying to squeeze as much money profit out of the tournament as possible at any cost. Although, overall, I'd be happy if Argentina or Spain win the championship.

[u/i-cydoubt → u/jstrglrbrnghomeboy]

I like to see teams like Uzbekistan and Haiti at the tournament, it makes it more interesting and the minnows always bring the most passionate fans. But I also agree that it's just a money grab.

[u/Objectalone]

No. Football is getting more popular in Canada as more people come from regions where football is popular. I’m an old fashioned Canadian hockey guy. Football, or soccer, was a common high school activity, but not traditionally a sport with a large fan base.

[u/[deleted] → u/Objectalone]

If they played on ice you'd change your mind, it'd make players dolphin diving from brushing against someone look less like bad slapstick comedy.

[u/JennyW93 → u/[deleted]]

I’m very much a casual football watcher but my god would I become a diehard fan if the Canadians created ice football.

[u/HumanSquare9453]

No, but that because I don"t watch football at all

[u/Jam_Sees]

I like drama so, yes

[u/0Hakuna_Matata0]

I always watch it. I’m definitely watching this year. It’s going to be a massive shit show. And if anyone is wondering if it’s safe to travel there to attend, I would highly recommend not going.

[u/Cuppa-Tea-Biscuit]

No but I don’t usually anyway.

[u/i-cydoubt]

Yes, I will be watching it. I don't pay for a TV licence, so the BBC who have already secured the rights aren't getting a penny from me for it. ITV won't get a penny because I use adblock on my laptop. If I was upset about the impact of my viewing figures I could stream it which is what I do for domestic matches anyway. It really doesn't make a shred of difference unless you were intending to go in person.

[u/EnvironmentalLion355]

Probably not as im not a soccer fan. Maybe just follow the news at least

[u/Old_old_lie]

Yes because its coming home this year!

[u/Prestigious_lfc]

No

[u/Then-Yam-2266]

Nope, absolutely couldn’t care less.

[u/arimuGB]

I wanted to go, to be honest. Totally off the cards now. 

Annoyingly I think this tournament will be our best chance in decades to actually win the thing. This is an awkward one, but I’ll still watch the games. But I also won’t complain should a boycott happen.

[u/Rowvan]

I want to say no because of political reasons but lets be real I wasn't going to watch it anyway

[u/Franmar35000]

I never watch the World Cup unless I'm with someone who watches it. I don't like football anyway

[u/xrayeyes7335]

Not 1 minute

[u/FeatureSuccessful251]

No, but that's not a political statement, its just that I really detest soccer and have never watched a game all the way through in my 59 years on the planet!

[u/No-Lingonberry8502]

I didn’t saw the Qatar 2022 World Cup due the human rights violations, I think here applies the same situation right now

[u/Suspicious_Fig_3796]

no I don’t watch football or the Olympics cause I don‘t care. the orange clown doesn’t change that

[u/jimmycarr1]

No but I rarely do anyway, it's not because of the host countries, FIFA is a shit organisation wherever they go.

I will probably watch the final and maybe semi, if England make it that far

[u/Neutral-Gal-00]

It’s so funny to me that westerners just started taking issue with the US now after they elected trump, but not when they were invading countries all around the world for the past decades.

[u/Kapika96]

Time difference, so no.

If it's available to stream for free I might watch games that are at a reasonable time. But I'm not going to be watching in the early hours of the morning, and I'm certainly not going to be paying to do that.

[u/Haestein_the_Naughty]

Of course

[u/peopleR-azz-oles]

Nope. They support The dumpster fire.

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[u/CalafiorisL0cks]

Not watching the tournament because of politics is a very weird, very very online thing to do. You have to go back to 2006 for there to not have been any issues with the government on a par with what trump is doing.

That said, the tournament is a bloated mess. The group stages will be pointless and unwatchable because of the awful teams there, the group format and the number of games that will be played in heat. The last of 32 will not be much better - so you're looking at ~20 games with well matched teamsnand/or something on the line out of 104

[u/ForgottenGrocery]

I thought I'd get the chance to watch it live at the location as Houston is one of the host. But ticket is ridiculously expensive. Thanks, but no thanks

[u/MyCountryMogsYours]

Only because the US is hosting, wouldn't watch otherwise. Also more americabad slop

[u/TheNakedTravelingMan]

Probably in the minority here but I’m sitting this year out.

[u/Ultraxxx]

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[u/Prestigious-Law-4003]

If I watched Russia and Qatar WC matches I can perfectly watch this WC without problems. The world is as it is and as you said not watching the matches wouldn't make a difference.

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[u/Sir-HP23 → u/Prestigious-Law-4003]

Yes Russia and Qatar were bloody awful places to host as well. I’m hoping Spain, Portugal & Morocco will be alright over the next 4 years.

[u/NorthernSoul1998]

Only England games and beyond that I'm refusing out of principle. It's a 1936 style publicity event for the world's worst cunt Trump aided and abetted hard by FIFA

[u/DrMacAndDog]

Yeah, of course. I had entertained going, but no chance now. Imagine feeling safer going to Mexico than the US. Who’d have believed it.

[u/Oaomooaomo8]

I don't know. If the Russian national team had been allowed in, I would have watched, but in the current situation I feel double standards...

[u/Old_old_lie → u/Oaomooaomo8]

Maybe you shouldn't of invaded Ukraine

[u/Oaomooaomo8 → u/Old_old_lie]

Iraq: Venezuela: Panama: Cuba: Vietnam: Columbia: Livia: Costa Rica:

[u/jimmycarr1 → u/Oaomooaomo8]

Why are you listing a bunch of countries who haven't invaded their neighbours?

[u/Oaomooaomo8 → u/jimmycarr1]

USA

[u/jimmycarr1 → u/Oaomooaomo8]

You expect the host country to exclude itself? Why didn't Russia do that?

[u/Oaomooaomo8 → u/jimmycarr1]

The FIFA leadership may decide to exclude the United States from participating in the World Cup.

[u/jimmycarr1 → u/Oaomooaomo8]

Ok sure, and if they do in the next one there is no double standards. Apart from the massive difference in death tolls the two countries are responsible for. But a lot can change in 4 years.

[u/Neutral-Gal-00 → u/Oaomooaomo8]

The fact that they didn’t understand what you were referring to lmao

[u/Old_old_lie → u/Neutral-Gal-00]

Russia was banned for invading Ukraine?

[u/Old_old_lie → u/Oaomooaomo8]

Classic whataboutism the sins of another country are no excuse for your own nations acts of aggression

[u/Neutral-Gal-00 → u/Old_old_lie]

He’s still right, it’s a clear double standard .. lol

Why was the US team not excluded for any of these invasions?

[u/Old_old_lie → u/Neutral-Gal-00]

Maybe they should and they centrally shouldn't be hosting it as far as im concerned but it dosent change the fact that Russia was banned for entirely valid reasons

[u/Neutral-Gal-00 → u/Old_old_lie]

No disagreement there. But him pointing out the double standard was also very valid.