Editorial: The World Cup, Sans Team USA

Published June 15, 2018 10:05am ET



On Thursday the 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off in the Russian Federation with a match between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The match took place in Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, capacity 80,000. The result was expected, Russia bested the Saudi side 5 to 0. The matches, of which there are 64 in total, will continue through mid-July, when there will be one winner out of 32 competing nations.

Unlike international friendlies, or tournaments among regional nations like CONCACAF or Copa America, the World Cup commands a global audience that befits its name—over 1 billion people will watch the final match of this competition. That makes it the most watched sporting event on the planet.

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.