World Cup: Has politics and commerce ruined football's celebration? MEPs debate in The Ring

The World Cup is underway, and this year it has sparked not only sporting but also political debates. On Euronews' The Ring, two Members of the European Parliament – German Green politician Rasmus Andresen and Austrian MEP Lukas Mandl from the European People's Party – discussed whether the world's biggest sporting event can still maintain its unifying spirit.

Lukas Mandl believes the World Cup is a celebration worth having regardless of the issues. "For these few weeks, football makes the world a family. To make it political or posh will not help," he said, echoing FIFA President Gianni Infantino's earlier remarks in Brussels. Infantino stressed that "in our divided world, we need occasions to unite" and that FIFA's responsibility is to give people 90 minutes to forget their problems.

However, this year's tournament—held for the first time in three countries (Canada, Mexico, and the United States)—has faced numerous controversies. Ticket prices have skyrocketed, leading to fan boycotts. Immigration issues, accusations of racism, the situations in Iran and Congo, and the political influence of Donald Trump have added to the strife. Rasmus Andresen criticized the pricing policies: "Football must not become a playground for investors and pricing algorithms. When supporters are priced out of stadiums and clubs become assets in global ownership networks, we risk losing the very social and community value that makes sport special."

Andresen called on Europe to adopt robust rules on ownership, transparency, and ticket pricing to put fans back at the heart of the game and protect football as a public good, not just a profit-making business.

The coming weeks will determine whether the World Cup can regain its former glory. The Ring is hosted by Stefan Grobe, produced by Luis Albertos Altarejos and Amaia Echevarria, and edited by Vassilis Glynos.