World Cup kicks off
The Al Rihla 2022 match ball is displayed in front of the Qatar skyline before the 2022 FIFA World Cup begins.
Every four years FIFA hosts a tournament with 32 nations to decide who will be the champion of the soccer world. The event has been held in various different locations, and this year it takes place in Qatar. It is normally held in the summer months, although this year it will be played from November through December due to Qatar’s extreme heat.
“I wish it was in June like normal,” freshman Andrew Escobar said. “Because now we can’t watch the games because we’ll be in class.”
This will be the USA’s first World Cup game since not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup for the first time since 1986. This year will be the first time in 8 years that USA supporters will get to watch their team compete.
“They have a good squad so I’m excited to see them play this year,” freshman Aiden Alfaro said.
France, the last World Cup winner in 2018 will be on the search to break the curse of winning teams losing the next year mostly in the group stage there has never been a team to win back-to-back World Cups. At this time they are most likely to make it to the round of 16 at the least.
With the time zone difference, most games will be in the early morning hours PST. Making it hard to watch for most Americans; some games will be as early as 2 a.m. PST. The other games at watchable times mainly occur within school and work hours.
RCHS teacher and JV boys soccer coach, Mr. Damien Spiteri plays the 11 a.m. games during first lunch for students who would like to come and support their team while they’re at school.
“I wanted to play them because I like them and then I coach soccer here so I had players that would start coming in here during lunch so I figured I would just put them up on the screen,” Spiteri said.
The World Cup final will be played on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 7 a.m PST. The teams playing are yet to be determined. Supporters of the two teams should be able to watch this game because it will be played on a Sunday.
“I enjoy the last game because it’s always the best, as long as the last game is good everything is good,” freshman Keegan Hensasay said.
Ethan Nelson is a freshman at RCHS, and this is his first year in journalism. He is a staff reporter for the school newspaper, The Cat's Eye. His favorite...
