32 teams. 64 matches. 31 days. In just two days, millions of people will turn on their television to watch the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world: the FIFA World Cup. Since 1930, countries from around the world have competed to win the title of the Best Soccer Team in the World. This year, for the first time, Russia will be hosting the event in 12 venues located in 11 different cities. Here’s what to watch out for this summer:
- This is the first World Cup since 2006 to be hosted in Europe
- The opening game will be played by the two lowest-ranked teams in the tournament: Russia and Saudi Arabia
- Iceland is making its first appearance in the World Cup
- One of the biggest surprises is the absence of Italy from the competition
- Speaking of absences, the United States will not compete in the World Cup for the first time in three decades after suffering a 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago in the final round of qualifying
- Germany, last year’s winner, and five-time champion Brazil are among this year’s favorites for the tournament; France, Spain and Argentina also have a strong shot at the title
- The 2018 World Cup Final will be played in Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium
Now that you’re an expert in the 2018 World Cup, it’s only a matter of time until you inevitably want to bring out your inner Messi this summer. Here’s how you can do that:
Intramural Sports. While you might be competing for an intramural sports championship t-shirt instead of the gold FIFA World Cup trophy, intramural soccer is a great way to stay active this summer. We offer two types of soccer including 7v7 with CoRec and Men’s leagues and a 3v3 soccer tournament. So grab a group of friends or sign up as a free agent and register on IMLeagues.
Open Rec. So maybe playing in a soccer league isn’t your thing. You’re more of a practice-on-your-own kind of player. Or maybe you just want to perfect a new move to beat the competition in intramural sports. Our variety of outdoor fields are the ideal place to improve your soccer skills. Try our three outdoor fields: Near West Fields, Near East Fields, and University Bay Fields. The Near West Fields is the first completed project of the Master Plan, equipped with synthetic turf and state of the art LED fixtures, letting you play rain or shine.
If you are looking to play on an intramural sports team or kick a soccer ball around with your friends (or both!), we would love to help you join the World Cup action. Who are you rooting for?