Where are football's values?

The 23rd men's FIFA World Cup commences today, marking a historic first as it is jointly organized by three North American nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This expansion to three host countries is accompanied by an unprecedented increase in participating teams, growing from 32 to 48.

This new format, at least on the surface, carries an ambition of greater openness and global reach for the world's most popular sporting event. The joint hosting arrangement is designed to spread the tournament across a vast continent, promising a spectacle of unprecedented scale.

However, as the tournament begins, questions linger about the values underpinning this global celebration of football. The article suggests that beyond the excitement on the pitch, the event is deeply intertwined with international power dynamics and political considerations, hinting at a complex reality beneath the surface of the game.