The FIFA World Cup is a soccer tournament that happens once every four years between the top countries in the world. But why is it such a big deal?

The World Cup matters globally because of the national representation that fans get when their country comes out on top of the world. Your favorite players from your country have the opportunity to compete with other countries in the most popular sport in the world. 

Where Can I Watch the World Cup?

Since the FIFA World Cup will be played during school hours, Varsity Soccer Coach Robert Parry says that the school is planning on streaming some of the games in the commons as the worldwide event kicks off next week.

Parry said that the three games on Monday will be streamed, as well as the four on Tuesday, and a few other select games after Thanksgiving Break.

You can also watch on FOX, but some streaming services such as YouTube TV and Hulu+ offer viewings to the World Cup as well.

What Makes This Year’s World Cup so Special?

This year is the last World Cup that some of the greatest soccer players to ever step foot on the field will play. It’s looking like Robert Lewandowski as well as Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo, icons of the sport, will compete in their last World Cup this year.

These legends made the sport enjoyable for many around the world. Watching them was nothing short of a privilege, and they will go down as some of the best ever in a sport that has so much history and so many greats. 

How Does the World Cup Bracket Work?

32 teams qualify for the World Cup every four years. One of those 32 countries is automatically the country that hosts that World Cup, and as Qatar is hosting it this year, they are in the World Cup. 

The other 31 countries are determined by a series of qualifying matches throughout the off years, which are held by each continent and a predetermined number of participants from each continent.

After the 32 teams have been decided, they are randomly drawn into eight groups each consisting of four teams. Each group plays a round robin schedule within their group, where three points are rewarded for a victory, one for tie, and zero points for a loss. 

The top two point getting teams from each group get to advance to a 16 team knockout stage, the format of which the tournament is held. At that point, if you lose, then you’re done. Win and you move on to the next round until a final winner is declared.

How Many People Watch the World Cup?

Hosted in Russia, FIFA declared that the 2018 World Cup tournament was watched by a total of 3.57 billion people across the world. There was a 10.9 percent increase in 2018 from the total viewers from the 2014 World Cup, held in Brazil, according to BallGator. 

What If I Don’t Know Anything About Soccer?

Soccer knowledge isn’t required to watch the World Cup.  Although knowing the players and tactics will make it easier to understand what’s going on, it isn’t difficult to grasp the basic understanding of the game. At the end of the day, it is a fun sporting event that brings communities together, regardless of prior knowledge of the sport.