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Scott Willis's avatar

This is a very nice plan. Trying to think through my own as well and finding the right balance. I get why people would want to boycott and pass no judgment. It’s just this is the biggest spectacle in the soccer world and it’s almost impossible to ignore.

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Lorenzo's avatar

I really appreciate your clear headed and historically grounded unpacking of the issues at play here - the villain is almost always empire, whee - but I still think I'm going to sit most of this World Cup out, I just don't think I'll be able to enjoy it, precisely because (as you noted eloquently) these issues aren't going away, if anything, they're getting worse [I still remember the stories of worker treatment from the Brazil World Cup in 2014]

Look, I see and understand the hypocrisy of, say, enjoying a Champions League game and feeling revulsion at this World Cup. Money has completely won when it comes to professional sports, and I still, alas, love sports. But I dunno, at some point you have to draw a line in the "no ethical consumption" sand and say yeah I'm not gonna like, vocally approve of where we're going anymore, and rearranging the entire footy calendar so that a few incredibly wealthy and reactionary people can show off to the world is I guess where mine is.

Not judging any of you who will watch and enjoy it, mind. And, all that said, I can't fucking wait for Grace's recaps of previous World Cup winning sides!!!!! Delightful idea. Loved the Maradona ones.

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