Many thanks! If I had to boil it down, I’d highlight three main ideas. The first is that the World Cup—like many major events that grew throughout the 20th century—was born out of organic necessity: a need for human connection, a sense of belonging, national pride, and shared leisure. None of it was master-planned, which makes it an incredibly sophisticated product all things considered.
The second is that as the human experience continues to change so rapidly, we have to figure out how football (and the World Cup as its absolute peak) adapts and interacts with that new reality. Last but not least: it’s just remarkable that those original foundations remain so strong almost 100 years later.
People still care deeply about the World Cup, but they are now far more aware of the machinery behind it - especially with this and previous editions. Inevitably that changes the relationship.
This is so interesting, Carla. Thanks for breaking it down.
A bit like the Premier League, I feel the World Cup has sold it's soul to the highest bidder. The sparkle has been replaced by a need to rinse fans of every last pound/dollar/ euro
And of course the corruption within the WC environment...
Absolutely! I feel like people often forget that the creation of the Premier League really set the blueprint for this modern structure. I completely agree with you, it's this core focus on productization that leaves original fans feeling left behind in the pursuit of revenue. Mix that with the FIFA gate, and it's a toxic cocktail.
Loved the breakdown
Thank you so much for the kind words! Glad it resonated.
A really interesting read. What’s the lesson running through each of these eras?
Many thanks! If I had to boil it down, I’d highlight three main ideas. The first is that the World Cup—like many major events that grew throughout the 20th century—was born out of organic necessity: a need for human connection, a sense of belonging, national pride, and shared leisure. None of it was master-planned, which makes it an incredibly sophisticated product all things considered.
The second is that as the human experience continues to change so rapidly, we have to figure out how football (and the World Cup as its absolute peak) adapts and interacts with that new reality. Last but not least: it’s just remarkable that those original foundations remain so strong almost 100 years later.
People still care deeply about the World Cup, but they are now far more aware of the machinery behind it - especially with this and previous editions. Inevitably that changes the relationship.
100%. I feel like some countries were already more aware of it than others, but the FIFA scandal really brought it to light.
This is so interesting, Carla. Thanks for breaking it down.
A bit like the Premier League, I feel the World Cup has sold it's soul to the highest bidder. The sparkle has been replaced by a need to rinse fans of every last pound/dollar/ euro
And of course the corruption within the WC environment...
Absolutely! I feel like people often forget that the creation of the Premier League really set the blueprint for this modern structure. I completely agree with you, it's this core focus on productization that leaves original fans feeling left behind in the pursuit of revenue. Mix that with the FIFA gate, and it's a toxic cocktail.
A lesson I take from all of this