“Qatar hosting the soccer World Cup is like Donald Trump becoming president of the United States. It should not have happened, but the very fact that it has only exposes how bad things have become. Once this famous old tournament kicks off in Doha tomorrow, the fact that it did can never be unwound: Qatar will forever have been the host of the 22nd FIFA World Cup, the greatest absurdity in the history of the sport.” The Atlantic: The Qatar World Cup Exposes Soccer’s Shame.

+ “If the Qatari ruling class can resist the urge to create an international incident for a few weeks — a tall order, given that it’s already threatening journalists and banning beer — then its decadelong bet will pay off. A country the size of Connecticut with a depraved human rights record will have bribed and enslaved its way into its long-sought and totally unearned air of legitimacy.” Qatar’s World Cup is an unparalleled disgrace.

+ England, Wales and other European nations will not wear the OneLove armband at the World Cup in Qatar because of the threat of players being booked.

+ And yet, the games go on, both soccer and others. NYT: Trump Family’s Newest Partners: Middle Eastern Governments.