Reflecting on the World Cup’s Complex Colonial Politics
Hi everyone,
Unless you live under a rock, you are aware that the men’s World Cup is currently happening in Seattle (and across the United States, Mexico and Canada). I have complicated feelings about global events like the World Cup, the Olympics, etc.
On the one hand, I am profoundly moved by the stories of the teams and individuals competing. For example, Vozinha, the goalie from Cape Verde, is a 40-year-old electrician and bus driver by day, and world-class athlete by night — what an incredible human! But on the other hand, I am deeply aware of how these events not only expose inequities but create and compound them. Furthermore, I’ve experienced a lot of cognitive dissonance reading the language FIFA uses to promote the men’s World Cup, preaching unity and asking to remain "apolitical" despite the very premise of the event being rooted in politics — the concept of borders and countries is nothing but imperialist politics in action, after all.