Why People Suddenly Think the World Cup Is Rigged

For three weeks, it appeared that Gianni Infantino had pulled it off.

All of the pre-tournament naysaying—about the format, the climate, the ticketing, and the visas—had faded. Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe brought their A-games. Cape Verde's Vozinha was a sensation. Broadcast ratings were stellar. The hosts all proved competent. Maybe those empty seats actually did belong to fans on the concourses.