The World Cup Runneth Over…For the Few

The truth about how the World Cup benefits the host nations economy can be seen quite clearly, right now, in South Africa. It would appear that the big boys move in, clean up and move out. Taking the money with them.

Regulations imposed by Fifa on host countries stipulate that no-one but it’s commercial partners can trade or promote their products in the immediate vicinity of all World Cup sites.

Local organisers are obliged to create commercial restriction zones around stadiums and areas of importance during the tournament.

Fifa argues that they must protect the official sponsors from "ambush marketing" by those who would want to profit from the event without having contributed financially.

And who are these dastardly feckers that would financially cripple world football.

Well. 

Ordinary street vendors who are being denied the right to make a living. All in the name of the beautiful game.

The street vendors, who have been selling outside the football grounds for years with no problems, have been told that they must apply for and purchase a permit. But many traders have pointed out that they don’t even know how to go about getting these permits.

As one ice cream seller, Nhanhla Mkhize, said:

"We are being made to jump through hundreds of hoops so we can do for a month what we have been doing here for years - and that's selling at the stadium."

The truth is, Fifa know more about money than football. And all the pish we hear about the ‘legacy’ from things such as this is just the suits blowing smoke up our arses.

If the ‘legacy’ involves people like Nhanhla Mkhize not being able send money home to his family while Blatter and the rest of the nonentities and hangers-on swan about endless receptions, then who the hell would want his circus in their town.

So if your going to the finals try and make point of buying your ice-cream and cold drinks from these guys.

It’s their living, they need the money.

And you can stick it to the man at the same time.