With teams from 48 countries playing in host cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, it is estimated that more than 60% of the world’s population paid attention to this year’s World Cup. It’s no wonder the governing body expects to generate an incredible $11 billion in revenue.
Organized in 1904, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) aimed to promote international competition with the World Cup in the spirit of soccer’s universal appeal. Quickly gaining popular approval, the event brought people together in celebration and friendship, which continues today.
However, soon after its founding it went off the rails when authoritarian leaders realized they could use the tournaments for their own political aims.
Enter fascist sports-washing
Mussolini strong-armed FIFA into choosing Italy to host the 1934 games. He then used the event to promote fascist propaganda and foment nationalist frenzy. Uruguay, the reigning champion, had won the first World Cup in 1930 and boycotted the 1934 games in protest. Two years later, when the 1936 Olympics were staged in Berlin, Hitler skillfully used Mussolini’s example to fuse sports with national supremacy.
Fast forward to Trump, known to tie his political career to various sports, including the World Cup. Ahead of the World Cup, the association’s president, Gianni Infantino, bestowed the laughable “FIFA Peace Prize” upon the warmonger-in-chief. Later on, the president used his influence to overturn a red card on one of the U.S. players ahead of a crucial match.
Throughout, Donald Trump used soccer to push his racist and anti-immigrant agenda. The Iranian team was not permitted to stay in the U.S., forcing them to travel back to their base camp in Mexico after each game. A highly respected Somali referee was denied entry altogether.
FIFA itself has become a greed machine, engineering the most expensive ticket prices ever and courting host cities with visions of packed hotels and financial windfalls if they invest public money in infrastructure projects and security costs; the reality is much different. When high prices and travel bans keep fans from showing up, host city taxpayers often end up losing.
The people cry foul
Turnabout is fair play, and workers used the spotlight to draw attention to labor demands, protections from ICE, and ongoing social injustices.
From their workplace located next to Seattle Stadium, striking hotel workers demanded raises, healthcare benefits, proper staffing levels and protections from ICE raids.
“That’s exactly why we went on strike,” said Hayden Eyerley, who works at the Hilton Embassy Suites “because the World Cup’s in town.”
Seattle spent $32 million in taxpayer money on preparation, and will also foot the bill for police presence and cleanup after tens of thousands of fans attend matches.
In Mexico City, relatives of the 130,000 disappeared persons seized the spotlight with marches and roadblocks. In Guadalajara, the faces of players on World Cup trading cards were replaced with those of missing relatives. Teachers spoke out against broken promises of infrastructure improvements, wages and legal rights.
In Vancouver, B.C., where homelessness and drug abuse are widespread, protests highlighted the injustice of public money spent to facilitate the games rather than to help residents. The Tyee, an online magazine, quoted one activist as saying, “FIFA is an engine for displacement, criminalization and discrimination, when what this city needs are investment, care and community.”
Through it all, players and fans everywhere keep international friendship alive.
When Jordan and Algeria played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, there was an outpouring of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
The World Cup could be the greatest display of international working-class solidarity ever, if the profit and power-driven interests were removed. Get rid of FIFA, and return the “beautiful game” to its humble, unfettered roots.
Send feedback to the author at FSnews@socialism.com.
