Were you looking for honorable leadership and a clean fair tournament to bring the world together? We’re sorry Mario, but your princess is in another castle

Welcome to the World Cup 2026 (ready or not). It actually started many days ago. Fútbol / Football (or soccer, as the countries that don’t really play it insist on calling it).  Like it or not, it is the worldwide main course of sports for an entire month. Or, in the terms of an adolescent, your entire life.

This is the World Cup - the event that brings nations and people together. In peace. :)

(and while we are all fixated / hypnotized, what are those in power doing while we aren't looking?)

For some, peace and unity begins with a handshake. Like this one that didn’t happen.

Yes, of course. A conflict that spans millennia is resolved by a sports tournament. Why didn't it work?

The World Cup can bridge the gap between different countries, cultures and worldviews. Even in the midst of conflict. Just check out this quick search on the internet.

FIFA has a strong policy of non-governmental interference in their tournaments. Even if you are the host. Unless you are certain countries. Then FIFA is a dog that just rolls over and wants some love and attention.

Arbiter of peace and unity.

In all fairness, it is not possible to predict so many years in advance that one of the host-nations would go full-scale douche at the time of the tournament.

Hindsight is always crystal clear. I won’t fault FIFA for choosing that middle country as one of the hosts. But no excuse for the brown on their nose while that same country represses some nations due to their race or diplomatic relations.

So, while non-football fans will try in relative vain to find anything that doesn’t reek of FIFa for the next month, the least the organizers can do is to promote an open and fair tournament where the best two nations face off in the final.

Even if it looks like those best two countries will be the same ones as last edition.

Sorry, non-football fans. Look on the bright side, once this sham of a tournament ends, we’ll at least have Wimbledon. :)

Photo Used: magnific.com