Introduction
The 23rd FIFA World Cup will take place in 2026. The FIFA World Cup is an international men’s soccer championship that takes place every four years and is competed for by the national teams of the member organizations of FIFA. The event will be held in 16 different cities throughout three different countries in North America: the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. This is the first time the event will be split between teams from three countries. The three countries hosting the World Cup in 2026 the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico will share the responsibility of allocating games among themselves. However, specific group-stage matches will be played in just one of the three countries to cut down on travel time.
Societal Pervasiveness
Hosting the FIFA World Cup has the potential to increase tourism, which is one of the tournament’s main benefits. It is argued that the World Cup draws visitors from all over the world to the country hosting the tournament. Hotels and restaurants in the area can profit from this, which is good for the economy (Oonk, 2020). Canada’s planned mega-sporting events (MSEs) in 2026 have the potential to advance human rights in several ways significantly. These include the economy’s growth, training delivery, construction of brand-new social housing, rejuvenation of urban areas, and introduction of new recreational facilities and public spaces. The lasting effects of an event may include adopting more stringent new standards and establishing foundational relationships among various interested parties.
Historical Context
The first-ever international football match between Scotland and England was played in Glasgow in 1872. As a world football championship for amateurs, the 1914 Olympics were arranged by FIFA (Wolfe et al., 2021). FIFA officially acknowledged the Olympic Games as an official competition this year. Belgium dominated the first-ever international football tournament at the Summer Olympics in 1920. The inaugural FIFA World Cup was held in 1930. (Wolfe et al., 2021). This year, a men’s international football event was held under FIFA’s auspices. It was proposed by Jules Rimet, president of FIFA.
From 1930 through 1970, the Jules Rimet Trophy was used, but since 1974, the FIFA World Cup Trophy (sometimes called the New Trophy) has been displayed during the finals. Both the 1942 and 1946 World Cups were postponed because of the war. The Victory cup has been renamed the World Cup or Cup of the World. After FIFA President Jules Rimet sanctioned the tournament in 1929, it was renamed in his honor in 1946.
It was in 1863 that England established the Football Association (F.A.) to serve as the sport’s regulatory organization. It was invented and fiercely opposed by the Home Nations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. They were against FIFA’s idea to compensate amateur athletes (Oonk, 2020). To further standardize the sport among countries, the International Board was established.
In order to address the “little empathy” of the IOC toward promoting the sport and the rising number of international games involving teams and national teams from other countries, the idea of establishing an entity to control the issue was conceived (Reche-Soto et al., 2019). There was a need for more outstanding planning because of the rising number of team and national team international games.
Relevance
For hundreds of millions of people worldwide, soccer is more than just a sport; it represents the pinnacle of cultural expression. This statement may sound clichéd and superficial, but it is nonetheless true. The competition decides who the men’s world champion is in the sport. Every tournament of this sporting competition is watched by billions of people worldwide thanks to the widespread availability of television coverage. A country that hosts the World Cup can gain massive exposure in terms of tourism, foreign trade, job opportunities, and the potential for new development. Most people’s most significant display of patriotism is during the World Cup when they cheer on their national team.
It appeals to individuals who would not usually have any interest in football. Because it is their homeland and people who are being portrayed before the eyes of the rest of the world, it strikes a chord with them profoundly. The fact that soccer is played with such a straightforward approach makes it, in comparison to other sports, far more approachable for the typical sports spectator. Tony Waiters, a former coach for the Canadian national team, elaborates on Bradley’s viewpoint by pointing out that soccer is the great economic equalizer. Some of the sport’s all-time greats, such as Pele and Diego Maradona, have used soccer to escape poverty through their careers.
Dynamics of Power
In its most elementary form, power can be expressed as the product of force multiplied by distance and divided by the amount of time involved. When discussing athletic competitions, the term force is frequently used in place of strength, and speed stands in for time and distance. A culture that has a power dynamic that favors those in control and promotes acceptance and silence from those who are vulnerable to systemic abuses. This culture even goes so far as to convince victims to believe that what they are experiencing is not, in fact, abuse but rather is just the way it is. This failure to speak up covers a myriad of sins ranging from systemic racism to sexism, which permits those in power to remain in place with what seems like no redress for victims of abuse. Systemic racism and sexism also fall under this category.
Intersectionality
Intersectionality is a concept that can help policymakers, and sports programmers comprehend how many forms of discrimination, such as racism, homophobia, and ableism, combine to impede some women and girls from engaging in sports. The concept of intersectionality helps to identify many elements that might be either advantageous or disadvantageous. A few examples of these aspects are a person’s gender, caste, sex, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, religion, disability, weight, and overall physical appearance. These overlapping and crossing social identities could be liberating and oppressive in different contexts.
Through the study of intersectionality, one can understand how a combination of various forms of oppression, such as racism, ableism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, and socioeconomic inequity, produces systemic barriers. Intersectionality can also refer to the concept of “intersectionality.” Fewer sporting opportunities, scholarships, and financial aid are available to women and girls. Pay disparity exists between men’s and women’s college coaches. When coverage, sponsorships, and marketing for women’s sports are drastically reduced, the gap between the two groups becomes even more comprehensive. Women have less influence when it comes to coaching and serving on the boards of directors for athletic organizations.
Agent’s Actions in the Context of Social Structures
Not only is competition in a sport a social occasion, but it is also a social phenomenon and establishment. A physical and specific example would be a sporting event at a particular location and time. It is possible to see, hear, and understand it. As a result, it is a gathering of people. Children can learn many social skills they will need throughout their lives by participating in team sports and activities (Müller & Gaffney, 2018). They learn to cooperate, be less self-centered, and listen to other youngsters’ perspectives.
Additionally, it instills in them a sense of belonging in their community. It makes it easier for them to meet new people and expands the social circle they have outside of school. People who have competing social identities learn how to collaborate or compete with one another in sports without putting their social disparities front and center. The ability to work together as a team and to resolve conflicts is one of the many skills that sports inculcate in participants, which plays a significant role in accelerating positive social development. In addition to providing a sense of national identity and helping bring nations together on a national and worldwide scale, sport also has the power to mold the ethics and principles that underpin society.
Role Sports Play in Canadian Society and Culture
Sport Canada is the country’s most generous financial supporter of amateur sports. Sport Canada wishes to provide more sports opportunities to Canadians of all ages and abilities. The federal government makes the most investments in Canadian sports. It assists high-performance athletes and encourages all Canadians to participate in sports, from the playground to the podium (Fett, 2020). Sports positively impact children’s physical health, cognitive development, brain health, academic achievement, self-esteem, and social and emotional development in Canada.
A good sport can help to shape people’s personalities, strengthen communities, and boost personal and podium success. Health, social, economic, and environmental factors all benefit communities. Sports improve community and self-esteem (Beissel & Ternes, 2022). They also provide a unique perspective on the ideals of the sporting community. Athletic activities reflect the characteristics and practices of particular communities. Sports can assist Canadians in communicating and overcoming prejudice, stereotypes, cultural differences, ignorance, intolerance, and discrimination.
Understandings of Traditional Sport Shifted in Modernity
Sports histories show how modern societies perceive physical activities in stark contrast to more ancient societies. Modern sports culture emphasizes the secular more than older forms of athleticism. The modern sporting landscape has come to be defined by a focus on equality in competition and participation opportunities. Sport reflects peculiar modern manias for specialization, bureaucratization, rationalization, and quantification. Sport in the modern era is inextricably linked to some of modern history’s most pivotal moments, such as the rise of industrialization, urbanization, and nationalism.
Girls in most premodern societies were encouraged to continue playing noncompetitive games that prepared them for motherhood. In contrast, boys in most premodern societies were inspired by their families to compete in sports, which were presumed to prepare them for adult roles as warriors and workers (Beissel & Kohe, 2020). Although there are still much more boys and young men than girls and young women participating in athletic competitions in modern nations, the gender gap has shrunk significantly in recent decades. This has been the case with the private clubs responsible for the organization of sports in Europe, as well as with the interscholastic and intercollegiate teams that are such an essential part of the landscape of sports in North America.
Who has Privileged Access to Sport and Physical Recreation
Canadians, like people everywhere else, take pleasure in sports and other forms of physical activity, both as players and as fans of their favorite teams and organizations. National teams and recent arrivals like immigrants, who may bring with them a new set of sporting passions and traditions but be unfamiliar with the most popular sports in Canada, are among those with special access. Young people can participate in sports through their schools or local athletic clubs. Many participate in league and tournament play against others their age, whether as a team or as an individual. Through senior programming, senior citizens in Canadian society are given access to sports, making them part of another group with privileged access to sports. The Seniors’ Programs’ primary goal is to improve the quality of life for as many senior citizens as possible within the city. They plan to do this primarily through the provision of recreational opportunities. Plenty of fun and relaxation can be had without spending a fortune. Families and individuals with lower incomes may receive financial aid to offset the cost of recreational and sporting events.
Sport as a Vehicle for Individual and Social Empowerment
Sport has the potential to serve as a site of resistance, particularly in situations where players and their respective countries face discrimination and inequality. Social movements such as the labor movement have been linked to contentious collective action in a market-driven sports consumer culture, leading to greater socialization and democratization of sports markets. Organizing sports labor also entails forming alliances with manufacturing workers in global sporting goods production networks and media professionals. It is specifically related to the manufacture of athletic equipment. The backlash against hosting sporting mega-events in countries of the Global South exemplifies various types of urban protest, such as reclaiming public space and exercising community control.
In order to re-establish sports markets in local communities, the dominance of heterosexual, able-bodied, masculine sports cultures must be challenged. Empowerment is intended to build the inner excellence of an athlete’s character by allowing them to grow their passion for self-achievement. Athletes from every corner of the province are putting on a show demonstrating their physical ability and leadership capacity. Women and members of other marginalized groups can regain some measure of control over their lives through psychological empowerment (PE.
Conclusion
The USA, Canada, and Mexico will host the 23rd FIFA World Cup in 2026. Sixteen cities in three North American countries will host the event. The USA, Canada, and Mexico will share the 2026 World Cup games. Due to World War II, the 1942 and 1946 World Cups were postponed. Originally called “Victory,” it is now called the World Cup or Coupe du Monde. Intersectionality can assist legislators and sports programmers in understanding how racism, homophobia, and ableism prevent some women and girls from playing sports. Intersectionality identifies numerous positive and negative factors. Sport Canada offers sports opportunities for Canadians of all ages and abilities. Canada’s sports system receives the highest federal funding. Sport Canada supports high-performance athletes and encourages Canadians to play sports. Sports build character, unite communities, and boost personal and podium success.
Physical education is well-coordinated in Canada as the first immigrants and indigenous peoples of Canada practiced many sports. Canada’s sports strategy encourages Canadians to exercise, socialize, and unwind. According to the Canadian Sports Policy, sports are good for individuals and society. Hosting the FIFA World Cup is a significant milestone for a nation. Talking about sports may make discussing important yet controversial sports topics easier. This year FIFA held a men’s football event. Sport Canada aims to increase Canadians’ sporting possibilities. Sport Canada funds amateur sports the most. Intersectionality explains how racism, ableism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, and socioeconomic disparities form systemic barriers.
References
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