\u2018So vibrant and full of life\u2019<\/p>\n
This summer has been so vibrant and full of life. I had my doubts but, as the World Cup<\/a> approached and Boston got ready to host its first game, I started feeling the excitement and enthusiasm in the air. That mainly had to do with the huge numbers of Scottish fans who arrived for their match against Haiti. They were a delight, what with their shenanigans of putting cones everywhere, walking around in kilts and carrying bagpipes, jamming with the other buskers on the streets. They were such a fun bunch. I found myself getting hooked. Seeing people from so many different countries, kitted out in their jerseys, gave you the feeling that something was happening. Friends and colleagues who don\u2019t follow the sport were as excited as me. I attended three games and my only complaint is the extremely expensive ticket prices. The fans who came only had wonderful things to say about American hospitality \u2013 but everyone agreed that the political situation in the country is terrible. It was heartening that the visiting fans were able to separate the administration from the people living here. Moon, Boston<\/p>\n \u2018We sent out a message\u2019<\/p>\n The mood was a bit sombre before the World Cup, with store owners complaining Fifa had locked them out and people downbeat about the incredibly high ticket prices. But once it started the cognitive dissonance did not stop people from going to the many watch parties in town, which were filled with fun and joy. We were priced out of the real thing but the party still went on, preferably without Fifa. In spite of everything done by Fifa, we sent out the message that people, and not institutions, own football. As for highlights, the incredible celebrations after Colombia beat DR Congo \u2013 which extended for hours after the game, well into the night, going on for blocks and blocks \u2013 will stay with me. I don\u2019t think the city had ever felt more Colombian. Yes, and Merlin the duck. Eme Guitron, Guadalajara<\/p>\n Merlin the duck turns heads in Mexico City. Photograph: Paola Garcia\/Reuters\u2018We saw the best of Canada\u2019<\/p>\n The first week set the tone: the notoriously fickle Vancouver weather was perfect, the pedestrianisation of Granville Street was a roaring success and it seemed as if everyone bought into the experience. I attended Egypt v New Zealand and it was a real bucket-list moment. It was a flawless experience from start to finish: public transport ran like a dream, the atmosphere at the fan parks and stadium was incredible, and it was a great game. I even managed to win a correct score bet! People really welcomed the world. They say \u201cCanadians are born all over the world\u201d and it was wonderful to see the various diasporas bring their colour and energy to watching the games on the big screens. We saw the best of Canada<\/a> at the tournament: beautiful and welcoming. I have been banging the drum for Vancouver to friends and family for years. After seeing just how fantastic this city is, hopefully the rest of the world will travel here too. I will never forget watching my son open his first ever pack of Panini football stickers on the eve of the first game. Ben Lane, Vancouver<\/p>\n \u2018The host cities were way too spread out\u2019<\/p>\n I lived in South Africa when it hosted the World Cup in 2010. Fans were based in Johannesburg or Cape Town, with the World Cup central to everything for five weeks. You could feel it throughout the country. But this time the host cities were way too spread out. I was in DC, New York, Chicago and Atlanta during this tournament \u2013 two host cities and two cities that could have hosted. Unless you purposefully put yourself into a football-watching location, nothing seemed to be different than a random Tuesday. Kyle, New York<\/p>\n Argentina fans gather in Times Square before the World Cup final. Photograph: David Ramos\/Getty Images\u2018I am glad it\u2019s all over\u2019<\/p>\n It seems like people had a good time. Roads and transit were a bit of a mess and we are not used to seeing people lined up at bars and pubs at 9am \u2013 there was a shortage of beer. Vancouver hosted the Winter Olympics a while back and it had the same vibe. I personally am glad it is over. I want my boring city back, please. Eleanor, Vancouver<\/p>\n \u2018The Mexican fans were wonderful\u2019<\/p>\n I attended several matches during the 1986 World Cup but it was impossible this year because of the high prices. The mood was amazing in the city, though, with people enjoying matches in restaurants, bars, public squares, fanfests and stadiums. The Mexican fans were wonderful and gave a good impression to the world. My partner is English and we have two sons who love football, so the best moment was enjoying the Mexico v England match<\/a> together in Mexico City. Oliver Regueiro, Mexico City<\/p>\n A Mexico fan prepares for their match against Czechia. Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko\/AP\u2018A surprising success\u2019<\/p>\n We went to a fanfest in Philadelphia but did not attend any games because we ain\u2019t ballin\u2019 like that. Not even my eldest brother \u2013 who attended the World Cup in South Korea and Olympic football matches in China \u2013 was willing to pony up for those outrageously inflated ticket prices. Despite the shenanigans of Fifa and Donald Trump, the World Cup was a surprising success. We\u2019ve loved having all the international fans as well as seeing our own varied populace rooting for ancestral lands. People still think our elected leader is a feckless monster \u2013 they aren\u2019t wrong \u2013 but now they remember it can be a lovely place to visit. The camaraderie and exuberance shown by fans \u2013 especially from Norway, Scotland and Japan \u2013 reminds us all of the best of humanity. W Pfeister, Louisiana<\/p>\n \u2018I had talked about boycotting\u2019<\/p>\n The atmosphere in the buildup to the tournament was coloured with cynicism: about high ticket prices, Fifa\u2019s disregard for fans, and a queasiness about Gianni Infantino\u2019s eagerness to cosy up to the Trump administration. Co-hosting with them? We felt like we needed a shower. Of course, as is always the way, when the tournament started the cynicism had to compete with genuine enthusiasm for the fantastic football, the Cinderella stories, and the sheer thrill of hosting the world. I had talked a good game about boycotting as I loathe Fifa with the heat of a thousand suns, but my friends and family persuaded me I would regret not going to some games. So I caved and attended two matches, which both had a great vibe. The atmosphere in Vancouver was superb. The buzz going into the stadium was terrific and everything was extremely well organised. The host cities and fans did a hell of a job. Respect where it\u2019s due. Allan Castle, Vancouver<\/p>\n \u2018A success and an embarrassment\u2019<\/p>\n