How the Story of Soccer Became the Story of Everything

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A country smaller than Connecticut is set to host one of the biggest events in the world: The 2022 FIFA World Cup.

But how we got here is more about soccer as a whole. For decades, the world's favorite sport has slowly been overtaken by oligarchs, private equity, and Big Oil.

Enter Qatar, which boasts the highest GCP per capita in the world thanks to extensive oil reserves. They seem to exemplify what Senior Reporter Tim Murphy calls sports-washing—using a highly coveted world sporting event to gain international recognition and image. But to host such an event has meant spending over $200 billion to build new stadiums, airports, and even a whole new city.

And all that labor comes with a heavy price: Thousands of migrant workers have died on World Cup projects. (Qatar is inhospitable in other ways—same-sex relationships are criminalized.)

That is not the story Qatar wants you to hear. It has paid soccer superstar David Beckham over $200 million dollars to tell another one. Appearing in ads for Qatar Airways and promotional videos for Visit Qatar, Beckham touts a luxury experience.

In Murphy's November/December cover story, he details how oligarchs, private-equity moguls, and petro states took over the sport—and the world.

#DavidBeckham #FIFA #WorldCup2022 #BigOil #Qatar

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