Shadowing Practice: How Greed is Destroying FIFA - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
B2
This is the Rueda family.
187 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
This is the Rueda family.
2
They love soccer, or football.
3
The family attended Mexico's World Cups in 1970 and 1986, but for 2026 they are staying home.
4
Why? FIFA priced them out. In 1994, the cheapest seat at the World Cup final, yes, the final, was $404 when adjusted for inflation.
5
The most expensive? $1,067.
6
Fast forward to today and the cheapest non-resale seat is $2,030.
7
The most expensive $10,990.
8
But the resale market is even crazier, with some tickets going for $2.3 million.
9
All of this will be great for FIFA.
10
They expect to earn $11 billion in revenue from the 2026 tournament, up from $7.5 billion at Qatar in 2022 and $5.36 billion at Russia in 2018.
11
But strangely, this might be terrible for the beautiful game.
12
Something insidious is happening inside of FIFA.
13
I am Kam for 2&20 and this is FIFA: The Actual Winner of the World Cup.
14
Okay. Full disclosure, I love soccer. or football.
15
I love it so much that I won four tickets to the round of 32.
16
And four tickets to the round of 16.
17
Now, I say won because although I got through the lottery, the tickets did not come cheap.
18
Each ticket sent me back nearly $1,000 CAD for a total of $8,000.
19
After I recovered from my wallet being drained, I wondered how will fans from lower income countries afford this?
20
Today, the cheapest seat available on the official platform across all 104 matches is around $200 ish.
21
The cheapest seat to a USA match is about $1,100.
22
The cheapest final ticket is $2,030, but let's compare that against the median income in Italy.
23
Oh, sorry, Italy didn't qualify.
24
What about France?
25
The median income before taxes is around $51,000 USD.
26
Not looking good.
27
What about the last competition champions, Argentina?
28
They're around $8,000.
29
Or perennial challenger? Brazil.
30
They're around $7,666.
31
We can go on and on and on.
32
But I think the point is pretty clear.
33
These tickets are out of reach for most fans around the world, but whatever.
34
Maybe you bite the bullet and buy a category one ticket.
35
Well, FIFA probably screwed you.
36
Remember those tickets I won through the random draw?
37
You see, they were category one, and I thought, wow, these seats are going to be insane.
38
But then I noticed something.
39
My brother also won seats basically beside me, and so did nearly everyone else I know who won.
40
We were all placed in these little corners of the stadium.
41
I'd normally be okay with this, but in this case, FIFA showed seating maps that made it look like regular fans could buy seats along the lower sidelines.
42
Instead, FIFA kept the vast majority of those seats aside for “On Location”, which sells expensive hospitality packages.
43
Think VIP tickets with food, lounge access, etc..
44
It's so bad, the California attorney General opened a consumer protection investigation in May.
45
But what is “On Location”?
46
On Location is a company owned by Endeavor, which is run by the real life Ari Emmanuel.
47
The guy fictionalized in Entourage.
48
It was originally launched by the NFL to sell packages to the Super Bowl, and now they hold the exclusive contract to sell hospitality for all 16 World Cup venues.
49
Listen to how crazy this is!
50
Their cheapest three match group stage bundle is $5,300 per person.
51
Their flagship eight match MetLife package, the one that includes the final, is $73,200 per person, and the craziest, a full private box at a venue series runs over $100,000.
52
Okay, maybe you don't care about the tickets.
53
Fine. What about everything else?
54
Hotels across North America have all increased significantly.
55
For example, in Vancouver, 350 days before, hotel rooms were $584, 164 days before the tournament, they increased to $775.
56
Then you need to consider what it cost to enter the U.S..
57
International fans from visa waiver countries pay $40 for an ESTA.
58
That's up from $21 in September 2025.
59
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill act.
60
Fans from countries that need a full B1 or B2 visa pay $435, which includes a new $250 visa integrity fee that did not exist before October 2025.
61
That is a lot of money.
62
We're not even mentioning that in cities like New York, S.F.
63
or Vancouver. You pay $8 just for a coffee.
64
This isn't Russia, where $2.50 gets you the deed to your cousin Igor's house.
65
Or airline prices which have gone through the roof in June and July, made even worse by the Iran and U.S. war.
66
You have to keep in mind, people didn't know they were coming to this World Cup until a few months ago.
67
FIFA's defense for all of this is summed up by two quotes from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
68
So we have to apply market rates.
69
You cannot go to watch in the US a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level for for less than $300.
70
And this is the World Cup.
71
Listen, you could convince me that the final might reach those prices in America, but group stage matches shouldn't be reaching prices similar to Yankees postseason games or SEC rivalry games, or even some Super Bowl games.
72
And many fan support associations have raised the exact same concerns.
73
Football Supporters Europe, the umbrella body that represents all national fan groups in Europe, launched a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA for abusing its dominant position and for exorbitant prices.
74
But this doesn't end just with fans.
75
FIFA also dominates the host nations, states and cities.
76
So let's say you're not flying to MetLife.
77
You're going to be watching from home like the rest of us.
78
Even that has gone complicated.
79
In India, you still don't have an official broadcaster, and China only closed a deal three weeks before kick off.
80
Travel during the tournament and your home subscription probably won't work where you land.
81
Sadly, our beautiful game has borders now.
82
The fix is a VPN, specifically Proton VPN.
83
You pick a server in a country that carries a match and you watch the match.
84
Simple. That's it.
85
And you want to know the reason I picked Proton over the other VPNs?
86
It's because they actually mean it, when it comes to privacy.
87
They're Swiss-based, foundation-led, open source and built on European privacy law, and their no logs policy is verified by most independent auditors.
88
Most VPN companies sell the data they promise to protect.
89
But Proton doesn't.
90
Link is in the description and gets you an exclusive discount.
91
Big thanks to Proton for sponsoring this one.
92
Now, back to FIFA, who is somehow making this whole thing worse.
93
If you've watched our channel before, you know that we like to call out bad deals and bad governance.
94
Making a deal with FIFA might be one of the worst deals a government can make.
95
There are three things to look at here.
96
One: The host responsibilities. Two: The host concessions.
97
And Three: the host revenues.
98
Let's begin with the responsibilities.
99
Each US host city is on the hook for 100 or 200 million in direct costs covering stadium retrofits, fan festivals, transportation, security, and more.
100
BC Place alone required $170 to 180 million in stadium retrofits, and another 24 million for a high end grass training facility for teams.
101
Additionally, if we look at Vancouver, the total cost of running the games is $578 million.
102
The federal government is providing $215 million, whereas the B.C.
103
government is providing $362 million.
104
If we do some simple math, that is $82 million of taxpayer money per game.
105
Now, this might sound bad, but there are far worse examples.
106
When Brazil hosted in 2014, they spent $270 million USD for 43,000 seat stadium deep in the Amazon.
107
I mean, look at this map.
108
The town of Manaus is only accessible by plane or boat.
109
Today, the stadium generally sits empty, at most seeing 1000 fans for the local team games.
110
A similar thing was seen for the 2010 South Africa World Cup.
111
This is where Cape Town Stadium was built for $600 million on prime waterfront real estate.
112
Again, it basically sits empty, but outside of stadiums and other responsibilities, FIFA also requires significant concessions.
113
The first one: taxes. Hosts must grant FIFA and its commercial partners broad tax exemptions.
114
No corporate tax.
115
No sales tax. No municipal tax, no nothing.
116
But one could argue these revenues would not have been there in the first place.
117
And so maybe the governments aren't losing anything.
118
But then there are the exclusionary clean zones.
119
This zone is typically a two kilometer radius around the stadiums and fan festivals, where FIFA basically blocks all promotions that they don't have their grubby little hands on.
120
Moreover, this zone is often closed, preventing people from driving or even going to work at all.
121
Or in my case, going to Costco.
122
Listen to this.
123
So my barber had to close his business on game days, and he's going to receive zero compensation from the government.
124
How is that fair?
125
Cities are also required to remove graffiti, any unwanted signs or unwanted people.
126
Local events aren't even allowed to run during the same time as FIFA, and the list goes on and on and on and on.
127
One of the most incredible concessions required is that cities must guarantee hotel rooms for FIFA staff, teams and tourists.
128
Now, neither FIFA nor cities can mandate hotels to reserve rooms.
129
But when the government comes knocking on your door, it's pretty hard to say no.
130
But these hotel rooms are not guaranteed, though.
131
In fact, FIFA was allowed to cancel their bookings as late as spring 2026, and FIFA did just this.
132
Now, not all cities were hit hard, but Vancouver saw nearly 80% of their blocked rooms released, or roughly 15,000 room nights.
133
It's so bad that hotel bookings are actually lower than last summer.
134
Which, may I remind you, was a regular summer.
135
But the argument that government officials will give is that this will bring incredible benefits to the city.
136
They project significant revenues.
137
But is that true?
138
Firstly, none of and we mean literally none of the revenue generated by FIFA from tickets, advertising, beverage sales, merchandise sales or anything else go to the host governments.
139
Not even for these hideous host city jerseys, which cost nearly $400.
140
Can we take a moment to appreciate just how much of a money grab this is?
141
I mean, look at these jerseys and even the marketing for them.
142
Do these people even know what soccer fans are like?
143
Okay, so if they don't make money from FIFA activities, how do they make money?
144
Let's use Canada as an example, because it's arguably the worst off and because the US fought for some tax revenues.
145
The government is projecting a $3.8 billion gross economic impact, whatever that means.
146
That's against $1 billion of estimated costs.
147
Not bad. Right? A $2.8 billion gain?
148
Maybe the $3.8 billion gets broken down into $2 billion of GDP, $1.3 billion in labor income and $700 million in government revenue, or $4 billion.
149
Wait a minute. The numbers don't add up.
150
GEP is the total value of all goods and services produced, including intermediate inputs. In regular human speech, it is double counting.
151
The better framework for this is to think about how much the government is spending, the GDP they spend may generate and the revenue the government is collecting.
152
Okay, so the government is spending $1 billion, give or take, to generate $2 billion of GDP.
153
That is a two times multiplier on money spent.
154
But that $2 billion of GDP is most likely overstated.
155
Let me give you an example.
156
If someone from Calgary was planning to vacation in Kelowna for the summer and spend $2,000, but they are now going to Vancouver to spend some of that $2,000.
157
How do you account for this?
158
Is that $0 of FIFA GDP or $2,000 of FIFA GDP?
159
The government would say $2,000, but we would say that is wrong.
160
Furthermore, so far, early data suggests that tourism in cities like Vancouver is actually down compared to last year.
161
But more alarming is that the government will only collect $700 million in taxes for this event, which is $300 million less than it spent.
162
Now, normally when a government makes an investment, they hope the investment will generate GDP and taxes for the long run.
163
For example, if a government spends $1 billion on an airport, that airport may generate $300 million in tax revenues each year.
164
But it will do that for decades, making the investment worth it.
165
In addition, it will generate GDP for decades.
166
The FIFA World Cup is a one time event.
167
It will never generate more money for anyone in Canada, the US or Mexico.
168
This is the maximum financial impact.
169
Let's summarize this deal.
170
The government spends hundreds of millions, if not billions, gives up dozens of concessions, earns zero direct revenue, all for the opportunity to lose money.
171
Honestly, the government might as well give every citizen a one time stimulus check. It would have been better for the economy.
172
As mentioned, I love soccer, or football.
173
It is the greatest sport on earth.
174
You can come from any part of the world, from any income, background and make it.
175
You can be a 5’7 kid with growth hormone deficiency and become the GOAT.
176
Sorry, Ronaldo fans.
177
That is why it's such a spectacle.
178
Because no matter where you are from the world, you know what football is.
179
And FIFA knows this.
180
They've turned a page in their history and become increasingly commercial.
181
Increasingly American. Charging hundreds and in some cases, thousands for tickets to games that price out soccer-loving families like the Rueda’s all over the world.
182
They grease the hands of politicians who agree to absurd policies that leave government coffers empty, but line the pockets of FIFA.
183
And in doing so, FIFA generates billions.
184
And at the end of the tournament, when the winner is lifting the trophy, we will all know who the real winner actually is.
185
Thank you for watching.
186
By the way, we're going to be doing a part two where we look at where FIFA spends its money and how that money gets siphoned for corruption.
187
So make sure you're subscribed for that. Bye.
Download App
AI scoring for every sentence you speak
TRENDING
Popular
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice listening to and shadowing a discussion about the impact of greed on FIFA and the World Cup. The video elaborates on how ticket prices have skyrocketed and the implications for fans worldwide. By engaging with this content, you will enhance your comprehension of economic terms, improve your ability to articulate complex ideas in English, and gain insight into the world of soccer economics. You will focus on the pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation of the speaker as he passionately discusses issues affecting the sport.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Priced Out: A situation where something becomes unaffordable for most people.
- Revenue: The total income generated from sales or services.
- Insidious: Something that is gradually harmful or sneaky.
- Category One Ticket: The highest tier ticket classification for premium seats.
- Hospitality Packages: Special offers that include perks like food and exclusive access.
- Consumer Protection: Regulations and laws intended to protect buyers from unfair practices.
- Median Income: The middle value of income distribution in a specific area.
- VIP Tickets: Premium tickets that offer luxurious amenities.
Practice Tips
To effectively practice your speaking skills with this video, try the following shadowing techniques:
- Start Slow: Rewind the video and listen to smaller segments. Focus on repeating each segment immediately after the speaker. This will help you internalize the rhythm and tone of the conversation.
- Match Emotion: Pay attention to the speaker's emotions—his passion and frustration. Shadow speak his intonation patterns to convey similar feelings in your own speech.
- Vary Your Pace: The speaker's pacing may change throughout the video. Practice shadowspeaks at both the original speed and a slower pace to build your confidence.
- Record Yourself: Use your phone or computer to record your shadow speech. Listen to your recordings and compare your pronunciation to the original. This will help you identify areas for improvement.
- Focus on Vocabulary: Take time to understand and use the key phrases in your own sentences. Incorporate them into your practice sessions to reinforce your learning.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
☕ Buy us a coffee
ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏