What is the history of the FIFA World Cup?
The FIFA World Cup, a football tournament for men's national teams, is held every four years. In 1930, the Fédération Internationale de Football [[Association::A group formed by people in order to achieve a specific goal.]] (FIFA) organised the first World Cup, which Uruguay won.
This competition features the best 32 football teams in the world. Teams must first play in [[qualifying tournaments::A tournament used to determine who will compete in the final tournament.]] before participating in the World Cup. The tournament is [[hosted::To organize an event like a sports tournament, etc., in which others are invited to participate.]] by a different country every four years. Qatar is hosting the recent FIFA World Cup 2022.
Wonderful! When is the tournament in Qatar beginning?
The 2022 World Cup began in Qatar on 20th November 2022. This tournament is being held from 20th November 2022 to 18th December 2022. In the first match, the host country was defeated 2-0 by Ecuador.
There was also an opening ceremony before the first match, which was beautiful. However, this year’s tournament is filled with various [[controversies::A situation that causes an argument between a large number of people.]].
What are the controversies surrounding this year’s FIFA World Cup?
The host country is chosen through a vote. Football fans became angry when Qatar was given the right to host the World Cup. Many people have said that FIFA officials were [[bribed::A sum of money or something valuable given or offered to someone so that they can help you, especially by doing something dishonest.]] to vote in favour of Qatar. [[Migrant::A person who moves from one country to another with the intention of working for someone other than himself.]] workers built the stadiums.
The workers were kept in poor living conditions and were treated like slaves. Many also died during construction, which the Qatari government refuses to admit. There were other issues that [[violated::To not obey or go against something such as a rule.]] [[human rights::The basic rights and freedoms that every person in the world has from birth to death. They apply to people regardless of their place of stay or what they believe in.]] as well.
Although Qatar has welcomed everyone, some fans around the world are worried about the tournament's safety.
Is anyone doing anything about it?
Denmark, Germany, and other countries have [[protested::To say or do something in public which shows that one disagrees with something or believes it is wrong.]] against Qatar hosting the World Cup. Many celebrities who were supposed to perform at the opening ceremony also backed out. Fans worldwide are also protesting the tournament being held in Qatar.
What did we learn from this article?
A tournament as large as the FIFA World Cup must be safe and open for all. We learned that as humans, we must speak against unfair treatment of other people, even if it is happening in another country. Do you think Qatar should have been allowed to host the World Cup? Will you be watching any matches? Let us know in the comments below.
Quick Revision
The FIFA World Cup began in 1930, first won by Uruguay, and is held every four years with 32 teams.
The 2022 World Cup was in Qatar from 20 Nov to 18 Dec, starting with Ecuador beating Qatar 2–0.
Qatar’s hosting caused controversy over bribery, worker abuse, and human rights issues.
Countries and fans protested, and some celebrities refused to perform.
The lesson: Sports events must be fair, safe, and respect human rights.
