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Fifa World Cup
Opinion
SCMP Editorial
Editorial
SCMP Editorial

As the World Cup kicks off, politics should be left behind

It is regrettable that politics has tarnished the build-up to the largest World Cup the planet has ever seen

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Grass grows beneath lamps in Seattle Stadium on May 6, ahead of the World Cup. There will be 48 national teams, more than ever before, playing in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Photo: TNS
SCMP Editorial
Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.
The World Cup, driven by and helping fuel a global passion for football, has long been one of the biggest international sporting events.

The men’s competition, kicking off on Thursday, will be on an unprecedented scale. There will be 48 national teams, more than ever before, playing in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The event has never been co-hosted across three countries before. There will be 104 games in 16 cities, with some matches played in intense heat. Teams will need to travel thousands of kilometres. It is a complex logistical exercise.

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World Cup fever will strike for the 39 days of the tournament. The sport’s governing body, Fifa, expects 6.5 million fans to attend. An estimated 5 billion fans engaged with content relating to the 2022 edition of the tournament in Qatar, according to Fifa.

Many of the supporters heading to the host cities have had to pay a high price for their dedication. There has, understandably, been concern about the state of ticket prices, which are higher than in the past. Two US states have launched investigations into Fifa’s ticketing policy.
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The governing body argues that the prices are driven by strong demand for seats, but there have been reports of tickets for less popular matches being sold on resale sites below face value. There is a possibility stadiums for some games will not be filled.

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