The World Cup has always been an esteemed, acclaimed event that many across the globe look forward to as 1.5 billion people worldwide tune in, with some countries having over 80% of adults watching based on the 2022 World Cup. 

This event consists of multiple soccer teams from now 48 countries compared to the previous 32 from last year competing against each other for a chance to win the title as the World Champions.

 This summer, the World Cup is taking place in the United States, introducing new variables into the well-known sports event. This could include how many now have the chance to enjoy the game in person. On the other hand, some aren’t as immediately thrilled. For example, many are worried about the availability of tickets along with pricing. 

“I feel like it’s kind of hard to get tickets at the moment, and the pricing is outrageous, but maybe closer to the date, it’ll be more accessible,” Junior Samuel Febres said.

While the addition of more countries in the World Cup brings in more viewers, the reason many still watch it isn’t guaranteed as the athletes grow older, especially due to the small window of ages that can play professionally. 

“There are some players that won’t play next year who a lot of people watch the World Cup for, so that will make it less exciting,” Freshman Gali Ulbricht said. 

Furthermore, with just the addition of a new setting and different procedures, this year’s World Cup can seem different compared to others. This is most impactful for the World Cup as the annual event is an unwavering tradition for many.

“I feel like this one is going to be a whole different process since there’s more teams and it’s a lot different than what we’ve seen in the past,” Fibers said. 

While some support other teams, the World Cup is where many come together to root for their own team and demonstrate the love they have for their country. It is most common for families from the same country to come together and watch the games in a shared space, marking it as an annual tradition each time the event rolls around.

“Every World Cup, me and my family, we come together, we watch the games…It’s a good time,” Sophomore Kachi Okpara said.

Although this World Cup comes with many new elements, those all over the world still look forward to spending a month in the summer watching their favorite teams compete against each other to possibly be crowned as champions of the world.

“To me it means for everyone to put stuff aside and say this is the way we watch the game,” Sophomore Sebastian Sanchez said.