World Cup

  • World Cup Slaves: A Rumpus Roundup

    Earlier today, the United States Attorney General charged 14 FIFA officials with 47 counts of corruption, racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering. FIFA is the international association that oversees football (soccer), including the World Cup. Pundits have already begun to…

  • J.K. Rowling Inks World Cup Potter Story

    The Quidditch World Cup Final is the pretense for Harry Potter’s latest adventure, a 1,500-word story available to subscribers of Pottermore, Rowling’s fan club website. “Dumbledore’s Army Reunites,” is written like a gossip column from the Daily Prophet, the wizarding…

  • Don’t Invite Borges to Your World Cup Party

    As the World Cup continues, everyone seems to be a soccer fan. One person who wasn’t? Jorge Luis Borges. According to The New Republic, the famed Argentine writer loathed the game, going so far as to purposefully schedule a lecture…

  • More on Brazil

    Politicians have given into the demand that sparked Brazilian protests, lowering bus fares from 3.20 reais back down to R$3.00 (about $1.60 back down to $1.50), massive protests continue throughout the country. The New York Times has a good summary of what’s…

  • A FAN’S NOTES, The Rumpus Sports Column #27: Stars, Stripes, Studded Bras

    I love what Landon Donovan told CBS News about the goal he scored at the end of the U.S. – Algeria match last Wednesday in the World Cup. “When that ball came to me, the net looked like the ocean,”…