THE PLANET’S GREATEST TRAVELING FESTIVAL IS ALMOST HERE. AND IT’S ABOUT A LOT MORE THAN WHAT HAPPENS ON THE PITCH.
Here we are again on the eve of the planet’s greatest traveling festival: Yes, it’s almost time for the World Cup. This event — every four years, 32 teams, one champion — is about so much more than what happens on the grass among 22 men. It’s about politics, economics, social issues. It’s about race and class and history. It’s about corruption and nationalism, fear and joy. It’s about everything. And I’ll be exploring all of this in Offsides, this twice-weekly newsletter that will run for the duration of the tournament.