The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event of the year and the largest sports marketing exercise since the last World Cup.

It is also a lot more besides, a cultural battleground at times, a clash of east and west, a case study in the power of money, and the most controversial sporting competition since the apartheid days in South Africa.

Our job is to bring the stories of what is happening off the field of play to the attention of our Sport for Business readers.

 

PITCH INVADER RELEASED WITHOUT CHARGE

Mario Ferri was the pitch invader at Monday night’s game between Uruguay and Portugal. He took to the field with a collection of flags and slogans expressing support for LGBTQ+ rights, Iranian Women, and Ukraine.

Ferri has history, having also managed to evade security and get onto the pitch at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups in South Africa and Brazil.

He was released shortly after being removed from the pitch, without any charges, but has been banned from attending future matches.

 

TIGHTER RESTRICTIONS ON FLAGS

A new ‘Flags and Banners Evaluation Area’ was in place at last night’s games between England and Wales and the UDA and IR Iran.

English media are carrying reports of fans being directed towards it and having their clothing searched and in one case, being strip searched.

Six security guards are reported to have been present at the new area, doubtless a reaction to Monday night’s pitch invasion.

 

ENGLISH MILKSHAKE CELEBRATIONS

When England qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup in Russia four years ago they celebrated with a few beers. This time around though, sensitive to the local restrictions on alcohol, Southgate revealed they would be going back to the hotel and drinking milkshakes.

They will be given the day off today before beginning their preparations for the Round of 16 game against Senegal on Sunday night.

 

GERMANY FINED

The German and Senegal FA’s have been fined in the past 48 hours for not providing a player to attend their obligatory pre-match press conferences.

The size of the fine is $10,000 which won’t make much of a dent but if the team does not think it a worthwhile exercise to have a player sit down in front of the media, what does that say about their regard for the fans back at home in a world driven by content and the access to players and their thoughts?

TODAY’S SPONSOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT – QATAR AIRWAYS

Qatar Airways have been getting passengers in the mood prior to their arrival in Doha with World Cup-themed pillows, headrests, and amenity kits.

With over one million fans traveling into the state getting a seat on the airline voted the World’s best might have been tricky but at least you will have been fully immersed in the tournament.

We had the pleasure of flying to Doha recently for a major sponsorship announcement and saw firsthand the importance of the tournament with the full safety video recorded in a football theme using Robert Lewandowski, Kaka, and others.

The launch video of their partnership using Queen’s We Will Rock You has been seen 60 million times so far and rising.

Passengers traveling around the world can watch exclusive live streams of the games taking place at the tournament.

KEEPING UP WITH THE ACTION

Virgin Media may not have the rights but they have developed a neat interactive search engine to give details of all the games and indeed all the major leagues for football around the world.

You can access the tool and keep bang up to date with what is happening here.