The World Cup is a major soccer event occurring every 4 years, where countries from all over the globe flock to a designated place to play and show off their talents. The last World Cup was back in 2018, and the circumstances surrounding the 2022 World Cup were tough. Due to COVID and new pandemic protocols, no one knew if the event was going to be possible. But FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) found a way to work around the pandemic and get past its obstacles. Instead of canceling the World Cup completely, they implemented strict protocols to prioritize safety.

   Countries throughout the world compete through qualifying rounds to showcase their competitiveness in order to be able to participate in the World Cup. These countries’ teams strive to be the best in the world. The tournament allows people from all over the globe to be united. Not only can they connect by showing their love and passion for soccer, but also expressing their love for their country. This diversity of places allows people to travel around different countries and tour the world. When it comes to the importance of the World Cup’s national reach, “It’s important for us to embrace all of our different cultures…it’s good for us to diversify the way we think about other places,” says sophomore Justin Walters.

   To celebrate this upcoming tournament, Charter will be celebrating World Cup Day on November 18, 2022 . “World Cup day is a day for students to show their support and spirit for a team of their choice. World Cup day was supposed to be during spirit week, but was changed… On this day, there will be a stage in the cafeteria, and there will be a day to support the World Cup kickoff,” says sophomore and SGA member Milanna Correra. This day will allow students to express themselves and their love for their country.  

  Although the World Cup doesn’t start until November 21st, Pembroke Pines Charter High School’s SGA took it upon themselves to do what they could to share the differences all around us. As the SGA Advisor, Mr. Jablonka expresses: “The World Cup prides itself on diversity and showcasing all the different backgrounds of the world, and I felt that we could do the same thing here at Charter. We should always look to celebrate our different backgrounds and be proud of the diverse environment that we are in. It’s a joy to see students being proud of who they are and where they come from.”                    

    Students are very thrilled that SGA will be doing this because it lets them be expressive. “ I feel happy we get to represent our country during the world cup day and I feel like it’s a very good idea to celebrate such a big sporting event,” expresses freshman Emilo Zapata. Sophomore Isabella Menedez adds “I’m happy they [SGA] are doing it because people can show off where they are from or who they are supporting it [World Cup].”