Don't watch the World Cup!!! Boycott it!! Um... why?

[Ascender]

Have I missed something here?

The World Cup was awarded to Qatar some time ago despite everything that is wrong with that country.

It starts in a couple of weeks and social media has loads of posts about how we, as football fans, should boycott it. Pubs shouldn't be showing games and we shouldn't even watch it.

How is that boycotting anything? The sponsors are all in place, the matches are all sold out and everyone will get paid.

How is not watching a game (at home or in a pub) going to send a message to anybody? TV ratings might be down a bit, but so what? I get the anger at players like Neville and Beckham who are being paid directly by Qatari-based companies, but that's different isn't it?

The time to do something about this was when they were awarded the tournament in the first place. Countries should have stood up and refused to play which might finally have forced FIFA to do something about how they're run.

Is everything else just the virtue signalling age we live in? Or people just not thinking? Or have I missed something?

[ZedLeg]

What is the average person supposed to do to show that they don't agree with Qatar hosting the world cup beyond not watching it?

[dinny_g]

Lower Internet Traffic talking about it when compared to previous World Cups ?? If that is a metric ?

I will probably only watch the England Games and the final - the whole thing kinda stinks but it's on and won't be again for 4 years I don't think I'll fully boycott it.

[Broccers]

Read this morning we are getting oil supplies this winter from Qatar. Are people going to boycott their heating

[Mito Man]

That'll kill of the rest of the pubs then.
Most protestors really are too thick to realise that actions have consequences.

[Simon]

[dinny_g]

The English lads didn’t even know the tune for Its coming home…

The Qatari’s we’re paying actual real fans from each country to come and support, sit together (so the TV camera would be able to zoom in with no protest banners) and be sort of ambassadors. In exchange for payment and tickets

Except they decided the night before the fans travelled that they won’t be paying them…

[Rich B]

Read this morning we are getting oil supplies this winter from Qatar. Are people going to boycott their heating

[Gavster]

I suspect the majority of people who are kicking up a fuss about boycotting it are people who don’t watch much football anyway

[ZedLeg]

I don’t really follow club football but usually watch internationals. Not watched anything to do with this world cup though.

Does make me wonder how far fifa would have to sink to put people off.

[Broccers]

I don’t really follow club football but usually watch internationals.

A rarity seeing them, supporting Scotland

[ZedLeg]

Nah, I don’t particularly support any team. I just like watching the games.

[RobYob]

Not watching as soccer is a boring game that rewards (bad) acting.

And Aus never gets into the finals.

[dinny_g]

You have to love the Ecuador fans chanting "We Want Beer" over and over again last night...

[Ascender]

Qatar were terrible yesterday. Their recent results suggest they're not as bad as that, but they were shocking at times yesterday and I get the feeling Ecuador just took their foot off the gas. The Qataris left the stadium in droves at half time too... All in all a very strange opening day, including how the BBC chose to have some very "hard conversations" about the country's approach to various things, but all concluded that the easy thing for them to do would have been to stay at home and refuse the gig. And the money. Hmm...

[dinny_g]

indeed...

The early VAR call in Qatar's favour was a nervy moment... Commentators were speechless

I see that the Powers that Be have bullied teams into not wearing the "One Love" arm band. Immediate booking which means if Harry Kane wore it today and against the USA, he's miss the crucial Wales game.

Be interesting to see what Denmark do as they were planning to be pretty hardcore on their protests.

[Mito Man]

It’s incredible, corruption and basic rights being abused in front of the world and everyone is submitting to it.

[ZedLeg]

Y’all could boycott it

[Broccers]

Y’all could boycott it

Perfect excuse to meet your mates in the pub.

[ZedLeg]

You’ve never seemed like you needed an excuse broccers