Worst opening World Cup game ever? Almost certainly. Worst host side ever? Quite possibly. Worst World Cup host ever? That’s a lot more questionable. There is an argument that Qatar is not even in the top three when it comes to the worst World Cup hosts.<\/p>\n
For all the entirely legitimate criticism of Qatar 2022, ranging from its appalling treatment of migrant workers to its anti-LGBTQ+ legislation to its last-minute beer ban, there have still been far worse host nations for the World Cup. Here are three for starters, in reverse order.<\/p>\n
In the run-up to the start of Qatar 2022, there have been numerous flashbacks to the last World Cup, which of course was hosted by Russia. Russia may be the world\u2019s pariah now for invading Ukraine, but less than five years ago it was playing host to the world\u2019s biggest sporting event and rather than the Emir of Qatar it was Vladimir Putin smiling and glad-handing FIFA officials at the opening ceremony.<\/p>\n
Of course, Russia had already invaded Ukraine before the last World Cup started when it annexed Crimea. That entirely illegal operation had actually taken place in the spring of 2014, long before the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, so the world and FIFA had plenty of time to respond to it. Instead, Ukraine complained, arguing that Russia should not just be stripped of hosting rights but banned from the World Cup altogether, but nothing happened and Russia hosted a largely successful tournament, whatever the moral (and military) qualms about the host nation.<\/p>\n
Read More:\u00a0 England vs Iran World Cup Predictions<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n For many people, the single worst abuse by Qatar 2022 and the biggest reason to criticise the tournament or even boycott it is its treatment of migrant workers. The Guardian <\/em>estimated in 2021 that as many as 6,500 migrant workers had died in Qatar<\/a> since the country won the right to host the World Cup in 2010 and began building the necessary stadia and other infrastructure.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, however terrible the loss of life has been in the lead-up to Qatar 2022, it is worth remembering that Russia\u2019s invasions of Ukraine have been even more costly. Although the annexation of Crimea in 2014 was not met with much Ukrainian resistance with only six deaths being officially recorded, that first \u201cmilitary operation\u201d paved the way for the much larger Russian invasion of Ukraine this year. To date, it is estimated that nearly 15,000 soldiers and civilians on both sides have been killed.<\/p>\n\n
Mussolini\u2019s Italy in 1934<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n