What Happens to the World Cup When the World Can’t Attend?

What Happens to the World Cup When the World Can’t Attend?

Imagine thousands of people glued to radios, phones and TVs, pouring into the streets of Tehran to celebrate Iran’s men’s soccer team securing its seventh World Cup qualification. Now transport yourself southwest and picture a similar wave of joy in Khartoum — where, despite a civil war that has displaced the team to Mauritania, Sudan could make history with its first-ever World Cup berth. These scenes, hopeful and plausible given both teams’ cu…