Exactly one hundred days from now, on June 11th, the 23rd edition of the World Cup will kick off, with Mexico x South Africa, at the Azteca stadium, in Mexico City.
What should only be a symbolic mark in the countdown to the biggest football event on the planet, for the first time held jointly by three countries (USA, Canada and Mexico) and for the first time with 48 teams (a record), highlights a series of problems and concerns.
The most serious are the possibility, now considerable, that an already qualified team will not participate, and one of the venues, Mexico’s Zapopan, will be located in Guadalajara, the epicenter of a wave of violence in the country following the death of drug trafficker El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco Nova Geração cartel.
There are other less obvious obstacles, which however should not be minimized, as they could have consequences that affect both the teams and the fans who will be in North America for the World Cup.
FIFA, organizer of the World Cup, for now acts as an observer, while, behind the scenes, it tries to draw up plans that could change the course of the tournament, if necessary, without drastic consequences for it.
The organization hopes that the recently started war USA/Israel x Iran, which immediately resulted in the death of the supreme leader of the Persian nation, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will not prevent the Asian country from participating in the World Cup, however the possibility exists and today it is great, as the Iranian team has games scheduled for US cities (two in Los Angeles, one in Seattle).
If Iran withdraws (or is withdrawn) from the World Cup, it will be necessary to replace it in a hurry, possibly giving the place to an AFC (Asian Football Confederation) team that did not win it on the field, which will result in undesirable wear and tear by FIFA. Someone will celebrate, others will complain a lot.
The head of the federation, the Swiss-Italian Gianni Infantino, is also hoping that tempers in Mexico will cool down soon. Tension, which remains high, could continue until rival drug trafficking groups resolve internal disputes. It is a panorama that affects public safety, a key item in a World Cup.
Security (the lack thereof) that could wreak havoc on the neighboring United States. Host cities (Houston, Kansas City, Foxborough, Miami) report that the non-transfer of federal funds, under contingency due to budget limitations, will hamper patrolling and inspection operations (hiring, planning, logistics).
Worse: this context threatens the holding of entertainment parties. Have you ever thought about not having “fan fests”?
It would disfigure a traditional scenario in the World Cup environment, which has existed since the one in Germany, in 2006, and which brings joy to thousands of people without tickets – as much football enthusiasts as those who will be in the stadiums –, dependent on big screens in public squares to cheer, cheer, participate, and experience the World Cup. Not to mention the commercial aspect (selling themed products and food) and healthy socialization between people of the same or different nationalities.
In short, for the fan: less fun for those outside the stadium, more queues for those going to the stadium (less staff means more time in the magazine).
These are the main bottlenecks, which are in addition to others previously foreseen: extreme heat (the North American summer is harsh), barriers in issuing visas in the USA, apprehension with the intimidating actions of the immigration police (ICE), challenges in air and land transport, the result of a World Cup with an immense territorial dimension (three countries), and issues related to environmental sustainability.
A hundred days pass quickly. It will, however, be a hundred long days for the organizers to resolve issues that could make the 2026 World Cup be remembered with adjectives ranging from uncomfortable to chaotic.
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