Is anyone genuinely going to boycott?

[fox_up_north]

I'm not watching any of it. I appreciate those who want to but I don't want to contribute to it. I also disagree with the idea that not watching it does nothing.

 

If viewing figures were down compared to previous events, that has an impact. 

[FoxesDeb]

I had the opening game on but I'm working so wasn't really watching. 

 

I'll be watching England, Spain, Belgium, Argentina, Brazil, Ghana, Denmark and Wales.

 

Otherwise I'm boycotting it 

 

I haven't knowingly bought anything made by Nestlé for over 20 years, though, so that makes me feel a little better 

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

2 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I had the opening game on but I'm working so wasn't really watching. 

Sounds like you had a narrow escape!

 

3 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I haven't knowingly bought anything made by Nestlé for over 20 years, though, so that makes me feel a little better

👍👍👍

[yorkie1999]

57 minutes ago, Raj said:

Not watched any build up or the 1st game and wint really watch many games maybe until the later stages

There wasn’t any, just Gary lineker giving a speech

[Leicesterpool]

I won't watch all games, cause of work etc. Plus for me, I'm for more hooked on what's going on in English football at the moment. Hope England do well and the three lions bring the cup home, and send the Welsh packing home early. Will be watching every England but I'm no so eager as before. World Cup belongs in the summer of June and July, after a season in a country where all visitors are welcome.

 

This won't be the last controversial world cup we'll see, not doubt Fifa will look to top it further. World Cup on the Moon 2030! Here we come.

[Unabomber]

Nah I’m not going to boycott I’m planning on watching all the games I can and then complaining about anything I can.

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

I'm going to not spend money on official FIFA sponsors actually during matches. Gonna wait till after the final whistle to buy some Bud with my Visa card.

That'll learn 'em.

[Dan LCFC]

The time to boycott passed on the day the first qualifier was played. They were never serious about it, there'll be all kinds of posturing over the next month but ultimately they're all still over there, it's hollow.

[hejammy]

If you're going to boycott this one you may as well say you're not going to any World Cup again as unless you're really gullible, you'll know that every World Cup is corrupted and it all starts from Fifa. Every country has there skeletons also in their cupboard. 

[KFS]

Would love to given what this state stands for but I’m ultimately obsessed with football and can’t bring myself to. Shit really.

[lcfcdamo]

2 hours ago, fox_up_north said:

I'm not watching any of it. I appreciate those who want to but I don't want to contribute to it. I also disagree with the idea that not watching it does nothing.

 

If viewing figures were down compared to previous events, that has an impact. 

I dont care were it is we all no fifa are corrupt but then again so is everything now including governments im interested in the football that is all 

[Mr Weller 2]

Trouble is you’d need to boycott all sorts of sports events as there are major human rights issues in lots of countries including Russia, China, much of Asia and South America. Better to contribute to amnesty international or even campaign yourself. Empty protest gestures are just to make the person feel better about themselves.

[Saxondale]

Even if it wasn’t being hosted in a joke country, I’m not that pumped anyway. It’s winter, there’s been no usual build up: It’s basically not a World Cup.

 

I’ll watch a bit, but balance out my conscience by calling FIFA cnuts on Twitter. 

[Adrian]

I'm glad there's a world cup in winter as I'm generally stuck indoors more this time of year and there are more gaps to fill...not feeling conflicted at all sorry will work harder on myself...

 

 

[urban.spaceman]

I've put a lot of thought into this. From the corruption of the bid, the treatment and deaths of migrant workers, the treatment of homosexuality and on basic atheistic principles and lifestyle grounds, I couldn't find the fact that Qatar are hosting this any more revolting than I already do.

 

But having said that I don't really see what boycotting the World Cup will actually achieve. They've spent billions on it already mostly to prove how powerful their money is. But football is MY sport and I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of stealing it from me. So I'll watch as many games as I can, purely for the joy of football. But otherwise, **** Qatar and FIFA

[Jon the Hat]

I will watch what I can - I love to see some random games during the world cup.  While I with neither Qatar nor Russia had been awarded them, and no doubt the process was corrupt, ultimately that is not within my control, or that of the football teams.

 

I don't like or support the Middle Eastern regimes, but it would be hypocritical of me to use their oil on a daily basis, to use their really rather good airlines, fly through their cities when it suits me, then bitch about the world cup.  I also tend to think there would a lot less noise about say an Africa country hosting which was just as backward on Gay rights, or the US hosting it given the nonsense around Roe V Wade recently.

 

Another point is of course around the waste of building all these stadia and spending so much money for something this is done in a month.  I do think there is a case for the part where bidders have to show legacy, and lack of waster, but if you are too strict on this you end up with only 4-5 countries who could host.  I'm not sure that is answer.

 

Anyway, go England, on with the football and stop whinging.

[Heathrow fox]

Really wasn’t up for this but now it’s here will try and get into it.Love a group that contains a 2nd tier South American team like a Peru or Chile.A West African nation Ghana/Senegal,an Eastern European team like Poland/Slovakia and either Japan or South Korea.That to me is what the W/C is all about.That and the manic relentlessness of the first couple of weeks.

[Jon the Hat]

2 minutes ago, Heathrow fox said:

Really wasn’t up for this but now it’s here will try and get into it.Love a group that contains a 2nd tier South American team like a Peru or Chile.A West African nation Ghana/Senegal,an Eastern European team like Poland/Slovakia and either Japan or South Korea.That to me is what the W/C is all about.That and the manic relentlessness of the first couple of weeks.

Yeah agree, though being on WA time it is tough to watch much during the week anyway.  

[MPH]

Reputation-wise, I don’t think things could have gone any worse for the Qataris. I appreciate the role the media are playing in exposing the failings of everything to do with the World Cup and the hosts.

 

 

It’s going to be difficult for me to see any of the World Cup games anyway- The England game  will be kicking off at 8am here and that’s when I start work.

 

 

the whole thing feels like a big of a disaster to me.. FIFA obviously has some sort of policy to take the World Cup to every corner of the earth and that’s fair enough but you can’t just turn up on someone’s doors step in a fanfare of noise and publicity and  expect a cultural revolution that embraces football. Yeah I guess you have to start somewhere but, and I acknowledge they may come across as somewhat arrogant or elitist, it feels like some established markets are being neglected to the point that  people who used to love all things World Cup are now treating it with disdain.

 

 

if they’re not careful, people will start thinking FIFA only care about money and lining their own pockets..

[ozleicester]

[grobyfox1990]

5 hours ago, urban.spaceman said:

I've put a lot of thought into this. From the corruption of the bid, the treatment and deaths of migrant workers, the treatment of homosexuality and on basic atheistic principles and lifestyle grounds, I couldn't find the fact that Qatar are hosting this any more revolting than I already do.

 

But having said that I don't really see what boycotting the World Cup will actually achieve. They've spent billions on it already mostly to prove how powerful their money is. But football is MY sport and I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of stealing it from me. So I'll watch as many games as I can, purely for the joy of football. But otherwise, **** Qatar and FIFA

Fair enough do what you want but there’s lots of comments here saying ‘what difference can I make’ change always has and always will come from the people, we are the 99% etc etc. The more people that buy into this World Cup the more incentive it gives fifa to continue flogging the game to the highest bidder

[Pliskin]

Being absent usually means you can’t make a stand for what you believe in. I suppose sat at home watching from a far, may feel like it’s an easy way to refuse. 
 

I do believe personally that boycotting rarely achieves anything, but watching it can. You see what’s happening, and you can then actively discuss it. Qatar wanted to put themselves out there to be seen by the world, so far it’s backfiring on them, because the TV hosts are talking about it, which means we’re talking about it, which means kids are talking about it. It sparks healthy debate…. Over the last few days even on this forum we’ve seen evidence of the ignorance of some people towards certain world wide issues, sparking a healthy debate is good. Debate may help the select few understand some of the issues various communities face on a day to day basis. 
 

The more we hide from things the less gets done about them, the more we stand up and face it, and out the issues the better chance we have of dealing with it. 

[stripeyfox]

18 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Being absent usually means you can’t make a stand for what you believe in. I suppose sat at home watching from a far, may feel like it’s an easy way to refuse. 
 

I do believe personally that boycotting rarely achieves anything, but watching it can. You see what’s happening, and you can then actively discuss it. Qatar wanted to put themselves out there to be seen by the world, so far it’s backfiring on them, because the TV hosts are talking about it, which means we’re talking about it, which means kids are talking about it. It sparks healthy debate…. Over the last few days even on this forum we’ve seen evidence of the ignorance of some people towards certain world wide issues, sparking a healthy debate is good. Debate may help the select few understand some of the issues various communities face on a day to day basis. 
 

The more we hide from things the less gets done about them, the more we stand up and face it, and out the issues the better chance we have of dealing with it. 

My son (11) only really got into football in the last year or so, so this is his "first" World Cup and he's mega excited about it, but we have discussed the issues around Qatar. I know his friends are also very aware of the issues around Qatar's attitude to same sex relationships, women's rights and the treatment of migrant workers.

 

I see no reason to "boycott" it since it isn't going to make any difference.

 

 

 

 

[grobyfox1990]

27 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Being absent usually means you can’t make a stand for what you believe in. I suppose sat at home watching from a far, may feel like it’s an easy way to refuse. 
 

I do believe personally that boycotting rarely achieves anything, but watching it can. You see what’s happening, and you can then actively discuss it. Qatar wanted to put themselves out there to be seen by the world, so far it’s backfiring on them, because the TV hosts are talking about it, which means we’re talking about it, which means kids are talking about it. It sparks healthy debate…. Over the last few days even on this forum we’ve seen evidence of the ignorance of some people towards certain world wide issues, sparking a healthy debate is good. Debate may help the select few understand some of the issues various communities face on a day to day basis. 
 

The more we hide from things the less gets done about them, the more we stand up and face it, and out the issues the better chance we have of dealing with it. 

Agree with the existential point, but certainly not with the ‘so far it’s backfiring on them’ - remember this is the World Cup not the uk media cup. We’re very good in this country at being in a bubble and believing our issues are important to everyone. I make a point of watching the opening credits from all broadcasters for tournaments, gets you in the mood for tournament football and the local mood. Nowhere got as close to bone as lineker and the bbc did yday 

[gerblod]

FIFA is an ongoing cesspit of corruption, turning football into a form of contraband peddled below the table in return for greasy bungs.

Football at  World Cup level becomes a political entity, because it is a competition between nations and nations use it to validate their global positions and their forms of government. Russia is rightfully banned, yet how many other countries have earned admittance to this competition on qualification by performance alone. How many could qualify on their human rights record, their active accordance with environmental standards, their commitment to helping their impoverished or their pacifist record.

FIFA is a global body and thus has global influence and clout...and a duty and responsibility to football. It could use that power and prerogative to weed out some of the nastier régimes' involvement.

I'll watch certain games, because of my affiliation to three nations. One being England, although I might switch over due to boredom. I'll follow Wales and Deutschland. Inevitably, I'll watch Brazil in the hope of seeing some sublime football. Argentina and Uruguay will be must a sees because they play with 100% commitment.

But, as a lone voice, my misgivings about world football will not be heard. Seems that those who are listened to speak the right messages but do fvck-all.