Hehehe, you’re right, and I hope it will be epic! I’m making a note for June 26th in my calendar…
One reason I’ll always love Leon Goretzka, the Germany national team player, and Manuel Neuer: in 2020, Hungary came to Munich to play in the Euros just as their parliament was passing anti-LGBTGQ+ laws. They protested the lighting of the Munich stadium in Pride colors, as well as German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer wearing the Pride armband. In classic bureaucratic fashion, the armband was under the authority of German officials, and they let him wear it; stadium lighting was under the governance of the Euro federation, UEFA, and they disallowed it.
Anyway. Goretzka scored the late equalizer in the match, raced over to the Hungarian section, and made a heart symbol at them with his hands. In general, making any kind of motion to away fans is very poor form, but fuck them.
Seems to me the most likely outcome is FIFA saying, “We can’t control anything outside of the stadium, but no fans inside the Seattle stadium will be allowed to wear anything pro-LGBT.”
That’d be extremely fucked up. As @Thing.Fish pointed out, the Qataris got to push their homophobic agenda on the rest of us when the World Cup was held there. Now it’s our turn to set the rules. If Iran or Egypt doesn’t like it, they don’t have to come here.
And if Trump does try something, we all need to start amplifying the message is Trump is weak, giving in to the hostile nation of Iran like the pathetic little coward he is until he’s too embarrassed to do it.
I’m not quite that far yet, but my enthusiasm is definitely way down for this WC. Between the ongoing sports washing, now including Trump and the thoroughly insane “peace prize”, and the ridiculous ticket pricing, what should have been a great local World Cup experience is now just something to be endured. I’ll still watch, so far, but may be spending some time in Mexico to watch games there and enjoy the local atmosphere, even if only in a bar.
I know it’s a very flippant comparison. But this reminds me of John Rabe appealing to Hitler after the Rape of Nanking to stop Japanese atrocities in China. Gouging loyal fans for every penny they can get away with is like FIFAs whole entire deal, what makes you think they are the ones you should be appealing to?
The only way they will ever listen is if/when people vote with their feet and don’t attend. Ain’t gonna happen…they will find enough mugs who will complain and then stump up the cash anyway.
On the other hand neither country has contributed billions to the Trump-Kushner benevolence fund. If this was Qatar-Saudi it would be a done deal, the pride march would be cancelled, using seal team 6 and bunker busters if necessary.
They may still let their hatred of gays and liberal East coast big cities overcome their hatred of Iran (Egypt they have no problem with, run as it is by a vicious authoritarian strong man), but they will be at least conflicted.
Though tbh Trump would care as much as if 3rd oboist at the Kennedy Center played the wrong note in a concerto. He doesn’t care about the football at the world cup in this slightest. He only cares because it’s a prestigious event where he gets demonstrate how much of a boss he is and be sucked up to by lots of important people.