The World Cup is a significant event for soccer fans around the world, but it is organized by FIFA, which is seen as a corrupt and controversial organization.

John Oliver describes his excitement for, and ambivalence towards, the upcoming World Cup.

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Okay, the World Cup starts this week, and I am both excited and extremely conflicted about it.

Now, I know, in America, soccer is something you pick your ten-year-old daughter up from.

But for me and everyone else on Earth, it's a little more important.

Soccer or football, like we say, it's a religion.

When David Beckham got a tattoo of Jesus, the response of most soccer fans was, ooh, that's huge for Jesus.

The World Cup is 1 of my favorite things, but it's organized by these guys.

You either know it as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association...

But for American viewers who may never have encountered them, FIFA is a comically grotesque organization.

In fact, telling someone about the inner workings of FIFA for the first time is a bit like showing someone 2 girls, 1 cup.

You do it mainly so you can watch the horrified expression on people's faces.


Speaker 0: Okay, the World Cup starts this week, and I am both excited and extremely conflicted about it. Now, I know, in America, soccer is something you pick your ten-year-old daughter up from. But for me and everyone else on Earth, it's a little more important. Soccer had become Brazil's religion. In Colombia, soccer was a religion.

Football is a religion here. Soccer or football, like we say, it's a religion. Yeah, and they're not exaggerating. When David Beckham got a tattoo of Jesus, the response of most soccer fans was, ooh, that's huge for Jesus. That's a big deal for him.

Here's my conflict. The World Cup is 1 of my favorite things, but it's organized by these guys. FIFA. You either know it as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association... -...or that soccer video game you have.

-...or that soccer video game you have. But for American viewers who may never have encountered them, FIFA is a comically grotesque organization. In fact, telling someone about the inner workings of FIFA for the first time is a bit like showing someone 2 girls, 1 cup. You do it mainly so you can watch the horrified expression on people's faces.

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World Cup Excitement: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)