World Cup Fever Unites Students

Usually tutorials are zones of near silence where students are supposed to focus on getting work done. But with the World Cup fever sweeping campus, some tutorials have erupted in cheers and cries as students tune in to the latest game from Qatar.

“Seeing everyone watching the world cup makes me full with enjoyment.” said senior Tomas San Juan.

The event happens every four years , usually during the summer. This year, because it is hosted by Qatar where the summer months tend to be too hot to play, it overlaps with school. More than five billion people have been watching the World Cup, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. It starts with 32 teams, then repeated knockout stages lead to the finale on Dec. 18.

Students are tuning in to the World Cup in Tutorials, classes, and while walking in the hallways.

Many students are soccer fans and seeing their classmates also taking an active interest helps them feel more connected. For students who enjoy soccer, this has been rewarding and brought them closer to their community.

“Having the opportunity to see how many Eastside students enjoy the same sport as I do, makes me well connected to them,” Tomas said.

In addition to eagerly checking in on games, many students come to school decked out in merch from their favorite soccer team in the spirit of good luck. People wear jerseys to represent pride for their favorite teams.

“It’s so rewarding, being able to see everyone’s excitement, and getting angry when one of the referees makes a mistake,” said senior Uriel Velazquez.

Some 60 students responded to an informal survey in late November, asking which team they expected would win. Brazil, Argentina and France led the responses with about 20% each. Brazil has already been eliminated, along with another school favorite, Mexico, but Argentina and France are still in the mix.

The next World Cup will be hosted in 2026 and three countries will compete to host.