By: Jonah Lazar, Staff Writer
Content warning: brief mention of genocide.
One of my earliest memories is my dad standing a foot away from the TV, yelling at Arjen Robben for having missed an open net in the 2010 World Cup Final. In 2014, I watched nearly every game of the tournament in the basement with my older brother, watching in horror as England crashed out in the group stage, and then going to the park and trying to recreate some of the iconic goals from the tournament. As I grew older, I became more aware of FIFA’s unethical apathy in selecting who hosts the World Cup. The 2018 World Cup in Russia was marred by the 21 preventable worker deaths and the nation’s anti-LGBTQIA+ policies. In 2022, Qatar admitted that 400–500 migrant workers died while working on World Cup related construction. Russia’s anti-LGBTQIA+ policies were echoed in Qatar which criminalizes homosexuality with fines, prison time, and even execution. Many queer fans skipped the tournament, fearing prison or abuse if they were to attend. The history of human rights abuses had been present long before these countries were selected as hosts for the games.
FIFA’s history of corruption and sportswashing, by using fan’s love of the game to wash over host country’s human rights abuses, is a tragedy for the sport of soccer. It has a monopoly on the world’s most popular sport, funding the national federations and setting codes of conduct for leagues all the way down to players. FIFA has taken the love of soccer that so many people share, and turned it into complicity for its harmful political agenda.
This year, FIFA has yet again been under scrutiny; the US’ attacks on Iran have been central to the backlash, especially considering that the newly-minted FIFA Peace Prize was awarded to Donald Trump last year.
The Palestinian Football Association demanded that Israel’s football association be banned from competing over the genocide in Gaza, for the murder of athletes. However, FIFA’s toothless sanctions on Israel amounted to just 150,000 Swiss francs (around $260,000 CAD) and permitted them to play in the qualifying process, which they lost.
Once every four years, this tournament feels like the centre of the universe for some, drawing attention to some incredible human stories of achievement. World Cup debutants Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 draw and Curaçao scored their first-ever World Cup goal against Germany, prompting celebrations across the nation. These moments have been orchestrated by players who have worked tirelessly to achieve their dreams of playing on the biggest stage, and have been watched by, quite literally, billions of people around the world. Yet, the enjoyment of watching our countries take on one another in a global celebration, invariably results in support for FIFA due to its monopoly. Whether it’s via streaming through a platform paying FIFA for television rights, buying stadium tickets, or even by consuming advertising at the free fan festivals, our turnout funds their politics.
For those of us who have grown up with soccer balls at our feet and jerseys on our backs, FIFA’s continual decision to turn our collective love for soccer to sportswash the host country’s history and actions is deeply saddening. Soccer fans deserve to be able to enjoy watching our beloved sport without having to wrestle with the morality behind our passion. Maybe it’s time for a new organization.
