Fans from across the world are filling cities, stadiums, bars, restaurants, homes and community spaces this summer to see one of the most popular sporting and cultural events in the world.
The 23rd FIFA men’s World Cup soccer tournament this summer is the first to feature 48 teams in three host countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States.
In Tucson, fans gather around TVs and projector screens to cheer on the teams and players they love, often while enjoying a reprieve from the extreme summer heat. The matches bring consistent traffic to some small businesses during the city’s slower season and give people a chance to socialize and connect in new ways.
For people watching in the U.S., the 39 days of play brings diversity and internationalism to the forefront. The winner of Wednesday’s semifinal match between Argentina and England will play Spain in Sunday’s championship. The bronze final (think third place) will feature France and the Argentina-England loser on Saturday.
Arizona Luminaria visited a couple of Tucson spaces where fans watch the World Cup and explore what the games mean to people, see how they celebrate international communities and identities, and learn what makes a place feel like home.
Credit: Summer Williams
Tucson native Chris Martinez has watched the World Cup since he was child.
“My very first World Cup was 2006. I was a very young child. I was 7 years old and my stepdad introduced me to it. He’s like, ‘You’re going to love this.’ And I was so into it, and I was quizzing my mom and being like, ‘Oh, did you know that this is the Tunisia flag?’ or ‘This is the flag for Trinidad and Tobago,’” he said, seated at a table watching a match at Zerai’s International Bar in midtown. “It is such a unique way of learning about different cultures and countries that isn’t in a classroom and is more accessible to seeing what culture is like in front of your face.”
A sixth grade English teacher at BASIS Tucson North, Martinez said teaching introduces him to many cultures and students, and living in Tucson gives him access to a larger community.
He follows World Cup storylines and enjoys seeing how different cultures and communities come together, even during a time when international connections in the U.S. feel complicated, he said.
“Before the World Cup had actually started, I was very concerned that this was just going to be a giant disaster. And I’m not alone in that, especially given all of what has been going on. And around the first couple of days, there’s like rumblings on social media of all the tourists being like, ‘You guys are lovely.’ Like, ‘I really love the Americans.’ And I’ve seen so many viral videos of people being like, ‘Oh, I’m going to take out these tourists for Korean barbecue or for Texas barbecue,’ and would buy lunch for them or things like that. And they’re like, ‘Oh my God, this stuff is so good.’ And I’m really happy to see that when all of the politicians aren’t involved, that we totally get along.”
Rachael Colasanto runs a bakery and cafe showing matches projected on a wall of the open kitchen.
“Any games that are on while the bakery is open, we’re watching. I find any team is really fun to watch,” Colasanto said. “And I feel like, especially this tournament, there’s been countries that have just kind of come through and surprised us.”
Colasanto’s bakery cafe, Holy Focaccia, has been open for only five months as a brick and mortar space — after starting her business out of her Barrio Viejo home during the pandemic and doing pop-ups at local farmers markets and Slow Body Beer. But it’s already become the space she envisioned — filled with people, food and life.
The space is small with limited seating, but just under two dozen people have filled it to watch games.
“I know we’re probably all tired of talking about businesses being slow in the summer, but this has really kept us afloat and kind of filled in the gaps that happened during summer, especially being a new business. So, we stay open later. Thursday’s usually our slowest day of the week, and to see it this busy in here is definitely helpful.”
Credit: Summer Williams
Colasanto and her partner, Zakaria Boucetta, are longtime soccer fans. Colasanto’s family roots are in Italy, and she played soccer from age 4 through high school. Boucetta, who is half Moroccan, half Portuguese, was born in Canada. He designed the space and looked forward to opening in time for the World Cup. Tucson is their chosen home after moving from New York. The matches are a chance to share their love for other countries and places that have been home for them.
“I can remember myself watching big games at various bars or restaurants, and those stick so clearly with me, and then, now that I’m doing it in my own space, it’s kind of mind blowing sometimes,” she said sitting at the bakery counter looking into the kitchen as her team prepped for the evening service. “And this is our space, and we get to show these games and do it, and maybe it’ll have the same impact on someone else, where they remember that they watched, I don’t know, Morocco lose – tears – at Holy Focaccia. But places are very meaningful to me, and it’s just been fun.”
Watching the World Cup has mostly been fun for Aarush Parvataneni as he viewed it from the comfort of his home.
“It’s like the biggest sporting event. There’s so many teams from all over the world and you just get to see, obviously in the sporting aspect, you get to see all of these top quality teams compete. Then there’s a lot of underdog stories, which are obviously fun to follow, but also off the field or off the pitch, seeing all these different cultures and sporting cultures clash and get together and seeing the fans from all over the world. It just feels like a great festive time.”
Parvataneni has a couple of World Cup criticisms: Match ticket prices and hydration breaks during each half, which he says interrupts the games’ flow.
“It just feels like a money grab to add more ads rather than care about the players, and it does change how the game is played because if a team has the momentum, and then there’s a hydration break, they lose that momentum.”
However, he’s appreciated following different players and underdog stories throughout the World Cup from home or at Zerai’s International Bar.
“I think overall, the people and the fans have made the World Cup great, but FIFA and like the government, I guess the more powerful people, could have done a better job.”
Parvataneni mainly watches college sports and cricket teams, since moving to Tucson from Bangalore, India four years ago to attend the University of Arizona.
“The World Cup, you know, it kind of makes us appreciate the diversity in the world and how all these countries are so different and unique in their own regard. And I think that’s something that’s really cool to see, and I don’t know, it also makes me want to travel to all these countries.”
Credit: Summer Williams
Luca Ravaglia has not missed a game this tournament.
Born in Italy, but raised in Phoenix, he said the sport connects him with his family and his Italian identity.
“It’s a really big thing in Europe, it’s not just teams. It means a lot more to people there. So, being able to follow that, sort of get into the club, then you understand more the nature around overall society in general back where you’re from.”
In Tucson, he has watched every match of this World Cup at Zerai’s International Bar. He connected with the bar when it first opened over two years ago, and it has become a gathering place to better understand different sports and teams.
“It’s almost like an international hub, just like the name of the bar. Then have people come through, and just get to meet new people, and see them experience it, see the pride they have for their countries. You live here in Tucson, but then you get a feel for the international just through people’s experiences coming here and watching the games.”
As Italy did not make the World Cup field, Ravaglia could root for different teams, specifically the underdogs and the African teams, he said.
“There’s been good stories and also the bad ones. It’s both sides to it.”
Ravaglia has followed Iran as it was originally to train at Tucson’s Kino Sports Complex in June and then moved to Tijuana, Mexico after visa issues and the war with the U.S. began earlier this year.
“So those were sort of ugly scenes that were brought to the forefront,” Ravaglia said.
He also watched the scenes of people coming from all over the world and experiencing American culture for the first time.
“So, in that sense, it’s been good for people from around the world who were able to make it to see it and experience it. And then there were the downsides, you know, with the pushback with the administration and everything. So the two tensions are actively playing out.”
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