India, June 10 -- A world at war will soon be playing football (or soccer as the Americans call it). Over its long history, the World Cup, first played in 1930, has seen its fair share of chaos but this edition, which begins tomorrow, will kick off near the top of the charts in that regard.

The world is in the middle of an energy crisis due to the war in West Asia; negotiations haven't gone anywhere and with many countries staring at an economic crisis, this seems like anything but the time to play football, but here we are.

"This will be the biggest, the most inclusive, the greatest FIFA World Cup ever," gushed FIFA president Gianni Infantino in 2025. "FIFA is the official happiness provider for humanity."

Happiness; provider; humanit...