What if Palestine hosted the World Cup?

Every time a country hosts the World Cup, it is completely transformed.

The streets are filled with flags, the airports are packed with fans, and the cities become one big open-air celebration.

But what if Palestine were the host? What would it have been like if the world had come to Gaza, Jerusalem and Ramallah for football, rather than to watch the war?

Joy over terror

Perhaps we would have seen people entering Palestine with cameras and mobile phones to capture moments of joy, rather than helmets and protective vests to shield themselves from the bombardment. Perhaps Gaza would have been overwhelmed by the noise of the crowds, rather than by grief and widespread destruction.

In a World Cup like this, children would have learnt the names of the players and teams rather than the names of the martyrs. They would have carried footballs and flags through the streets, instead of bags of belongings.

If Palestine were to host the World Cup, the night would be very different. It might be filled with the cheers and songs coming from the stands, rather than the sounds of explosions and aircraft.

Even the vocabulary would have been different. The phrase ‘occupying the stands’ would, for the first time, have become a joyful expression, signifying stadiums filled with fans, rather than the meaning with which Palestine had long associated the word: the theft of land.

On the streets, taxi drivers would talk enthusiastically about the national teams’ chances, the star players and the upcoming matches, rather than discussing the war, the details of the bombings and the names of the destroyed areas.

The kind of life Palestinians deserve

The Palestinian would have shown the visitor the way to the stadium or the supporters’ area, not the way to the nearest evacuation centre or safe place.

If Palestine were to host the World Cup, the world’s cameras would be looking for the most beautiful shots of goals or fan celebrations, not the most harrowing and painful images.

As for the planes flying over Gaza, they were supposed to be carrying national teams, fans and journalists, not missiles and bombs.

In a city historically known for the generosity of its people, whatever the circumstances, the people of Gaza would have welcomed visitors with coffee, food and souvenir photos, rather than searching for a piece of bread to save their children from starvation.

Perhaps the question has never been solely about football, but rather about the kind of life Palestinians deserve in the first place. The world, which travels everywhere in pursuit of football, has often known Palestine only through breaking news and images of destruction.

And if Palestine were ever to host the World Cup, perhaps the world would finally realise that Palestinians want nothing more than a normal life, just like everyone else on earth – a life in which people’s greatest concern is the outcome of a match, not surviving a war.

Featured image via David Ramos/Getty Images

By Alaa Shamali

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