CounterPunch Exclusives

CounterPunch Exclusives

What Do the World Cup and Iran Deal Have in Common?

Fans of Egypt and Belgium at the World Cup. (Screengrab.)

What do the World Cup group stage and the Iran War ceasefire deal have in common? Not much at first glance: one is an international sports tournament based on peaceful competition among nations, and the other emerged from a violent cataclysm that has left thousands dead and infrastructure destroyed in a dozen or so nations.

But at second glance, both outcomes have lessons for major powers that are used to domination. The first 2026 World Cup match I watched on TV was Brazil-Morocco, which the powerhouse Brazil should have won, so the 1-1 draw was perceived by both sides as a victory for the top African team.

Draws have now become an early pattern in this tournament group stage, with a lesson attached: A draw for the underdog is a victory over the powerful. I took these photos in Seattle of chagrined Belgium fans—wearing frites (fries) headgear—mourning their 1-1 draw with less-favored Egypt, as the joyous Egypt fans celebrated.

Then tiny Cape Verde drew with mighty Spain, and (shock of shocks) the Democratic Republic of the Congo drew with Ronaldo’s top team Portugal.

This pattern of draws is especially poignant when the heavily favored are the historic colonizers (or other wealthy countries), and the underdogs are the former colonies. Egypt had enormous support in the Seattle........

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