Hosted by Qatar, the 2022 FIFA World Cup has been the talk of the world even before starting. Soccer fans worldwide have opposed the idea of going to the tournament in a country where so much human rights misconduct still occurs. Qatar's intolerance for same-gender relationships, casual dating, and alcohol consumption doesn't help their case.

But aside from the controversies, there are plenty more FIFA World Cup memes to enjoy, especially if you're not Italian or a big Harry Maguire fan...

Moneylovers

In November 2021, the former president of FIFA, Joseph Blatter, was charged by Swiss authorities with fraud and falsifying documents. Even though the charges were dropped eight months later, the scandal has forever tainted FIFA's reputation.

Now, online meme-makers cannot stop having fun portraying Blatter as a money-loving individual who's all about putting some of those sweet Qatari dollars in his pocket. This particular meme wasn't created by a Photoshop expert (or anything close), but it sure made us laugh!

Pick One

Life is filled with difficult decisions: should one take the blue or the red pill in the “Matrix?” Should one be or not be, as in "Hamlet?" And should one watch the FIFA World Cup or stand by the LGBTQIA+ community? That's the question making every soccer fan on the Internet sweat from the inside out.

It's like when our favorite actor does something terrible: is it okay to continue to watch their movies? One thing's for sure: World Cup athletes are not to blame for Qatar's mistakes.

One Qatar Tournament Would Be Enough to Pay For 14.6 Brazilian World Cups

The price of putting a man on the moon is roughly equivalent to $150 billion. That means that the entire Apollo program would be cheaper today than the 2022 FIFA World Cup! Make no mistake: hosting a major international sports competition doesn't come cheap, but the price tag of Qatar's tournament is absurdly high.

This image was shared all over the web and shows the gigantic differences in budget between Qatar 2022 and the most recent editions of the World Cup.

Too Soon?

A few months before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the world mourned the passing of the beloved Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled over Britain for a whopping seven decades. So, it's the first time in ages that England will play an international soccer tournament without the blessing of its Queen.

But even though Elizabeth is no longer around to celebrate England's goals, she was lucky to see her team lift the trophy in 1966: a feeling most English citizens have never experienced.

Cheers!

We couldn't find any official data on how many soccer fans also drink beer, but we're pretty sure the majority do. An exciting soccer match and a cold pint make for a perfect combination, and that's why it's so enraging that alcohol is not available at the Qatari stadiums (as per the Daily Mail).

Luckily, The Athletic has reported that alcohol would be served in "selected areas" during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In Qatar, it's illegal to drink alcohol or be intoxicated in public places.

The Perfect Timing?

If you live in Europe, Africa, South and Central America, or most of Asia, there's a good chance soccer is your favorite sport ever. But isn't the 2022 FIFA World Cup the perfect opportunity to try watching something new? It's not easy to find a new favorite sport, but it's worth trying if yours isn't run by a trustworthy organization.

It's like having the perfect girlfriend until someone "more perfect" passes by. Basketball, tennis, and even cricket are all excellent alternatives.

Forget About Tinder!

Traveling to a new country and checking Tinder: that's one of the joys of modern-day tourism. But there may be better ideas than trying to find a man or woman to spend a night with at the 2022 FIFA World Cup... After all, is a crazy night of romance worth risking spending up to seven years in a Qatari jail?

It's crazy to think that, more than two decades into the 21st century, there are still countries where something as trivial as dating is practically illegal.

FIFA Goes Political

In 2008, Israel launched a massive 22-day military assault on the Gaza Strip called Operation Cast Lead. In Muslim countries, however, the military assault has a different, more suggestive name: Gaza Massacre. Diplomatic relations between Israel and Qatar have been complex ever since, even though Israelis are (reportedly) welcome to attend the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Nonetheless, we never expected to see the country of Israel listed as "Occupied Palestinian Territory" on a FIFA website! It shows that FIFA is genuinely open to answering every Qatari demand.

Wouldn't It Be Nice?

Considering that the 2022 FIFA World Cup has been mainly boycotted by the LGTQIA+ community, we feel like this would be a great idea! Goal celebrations are all about flair in soccer, but can't they be more about love? Two grown-up men kissing in front of millions of people would make for the perfect pro-gay protest!

Using a picture of two pigeons forcefully kissing one another probably isn't the best way of communicating the idea, but we get the gist.

Congratulations, USA!

Following the controversial remarks of the 2022 FIFA World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman, who said that being gay is "damage in the mind," an avalanche of online memes followed. But instead of making a joke, the United States national soccer team decided to do something fundamental to stand its ground.

Combining the USA symbol with the colors of the LGTQIA+ rainbow flag, the United States team has shown that there will always be loud voices opposing all forms of discrimination in sports.

England's Self-Hate

Most athletes can count on the support of their fellow countrymen and women during a World Cup. But when one plays for England, the deal is different: it's not about making your fanbase happy but rather about proving it wrong. And that's why there are so many online memes about the incompetence of the England national soccer team.

We guess English people should focus on supporting—not hating—their team because England boasts one of the best squads in the entire tournament.

The Other Side

Even though most of the world has been critical of FIFA's decision to select Qatar as the 2022 FIFA World Cup host, millions of Arabs have found it amazing. Now, they're going online to let everyone know that, while Qatar has its issues, it's more than prepared to receive a major international sports event.

While we're not siding with this view, we're forced to agree that the West (Hollywood included) has the nasty habit of depicting Middle-East countries in a very unfavorable light.

Surprised?

FIFA is not to blame for all the human rights abuses and discrimination in Qatar. But they're responsible for the decision to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in an Islamic monarchy in which there's no palpable distinction between the rule of law and the teachings of the Quran.

Western soccer fans may feel surprised by how things work in Qatar, but FIFA doesn't have the right to do so. According to several outlets, bribes may have influenced their decision to choose Qatar as the World Cup host.

How Things Have Changed...

Quick note for all the Americans reading: by "football," the boy in the meme is referring to "soccer." As for his grandpa, he probably decided to give up watching the news back when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was still a substantial Central Europe powerhouse (the constitutional democracy was dissolved in 1918).

We love this meme because of the joke, but we cannot ignore the fact it's not rooted in reality. After all, both Austria and Hungary failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Talk of the Town

Yes, the 2022 FIFA World Cup has been by far one of the most controversial editions of the tournament. But that's not to say it doesn't continue to attract millions of soccer fans. An online meme-maker decided to make the most of a picture of Qatar's unusually busy airspace, hilariously captioned, "Qatar just changed its relationship status to Single."

Tickets sold to the 2022 FIFA World Cup sit around 2.9 million, a number just fractionally below the 3.03 million tickets sold to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

"Making a Difference"

Some people are constantly targeted by online meme-makers because they believe something as trivial as liking a post, sharing a video, or uploading a new profile picture to social media can make a difference in the world.

Unfortunately, it takes a lot of work to fight for actual social change. In other words: you can boycott the 2022 FIFA World Cup all you want, but (unless you do something meaningful), it won't make a difference... That's not to say it's not important to raise awareness of the issues you care about online.

Modern-Day Slaves

Captioned "Amazing what you can do with slaves," this insightful online meme compares the current situation in Qatar with the building of the Pyramids of Giza. The analogy is light as day: just like enslaved people were responsible for building Egypt's massive monuments, so modern-day slaves were responsible for building Qatar's megalomaniac stadiums.

According to outlets such as The Guardian, a whopping 6.5K deaths of migrant workers have been linked to the construction of the 2022 FIFA World Cup stadiums in Qatar.

You Can Call Me Al

It's true: never in the history of the FIFA World Cup has an African nation managed to lift the trophy. Despite being a continent full of soccer-loving countries, Africa has never even managed to put one team in the competition's semi-finals. However, the funny commentator Al Khalifa seems to have identified the root of the problem.

As Khalifa suggested, African nations tend to lose their best players to European countries because of immigration and naturalization processes. France's winning team in 2018 was exemplary of this.

Focusing on the Positives

The Italian national soccer team shockingly failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup after losing to North Macedonia due to a dramatic last-minute goal. But why should Italians focus on the negatives?

Since Italy isn't going to Qatar, it's much easier to criticize the competition and label it as "unethical." The Italians can even go as far as saying that they wouldn't join the competition even if they had the chance—simply because that wouldn't change anything about their current status.

Introducing... The Italian Blues

Using a series of pictures of the Brazilian actor Wagner Moura as 'Pablo Escobar' in "Narcos," an online meme-maker decided yet again to make fun of the poor Italian soccer fans. Italy is a major soccer powerhouse, but they have missed not only the 2022 FIFA World Cup but also the 2018 edition of the tournament.

Strangely enough, the fans of a nation that has already won a staggering four World Cups have recently become accustomed to not seeing their team at the competition... Oh, how times have changed!

Poor Harry Maguire...

When Gareth Southgate, the head coach of the England national soccer team, announced his selection of 26 players, many fans were surprised to see Harry Maguire in there. Even though Maguire is a reputable center-back who plays for Manchester United, he's often targeted by meme-makers due to his habit of making odd defensive mistakes.

In this picture, Maguire is represented as digging the hole through which the entire England squad will eventually fall. To be fair, Maguire did perform brilliantly in the latest edition of the FIFA World Cup!

The Dynamic Duo

Using a picture of the young 'Michael Scott' from "The Office" (brilliantly portrayed by Steve Carell), an online meme-maker decided to join the crowd of soccer fans who have been critical of Harry Maguire's presence in the England squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Even though Maguire has performed poorly and rarely for Manchester United since the start of the season, he was still called up by head coach Gareth Southgate! Does this mean these two are simply inseparable buddies?

The Harry Maguire Memes Continue!

We guess this is how the Internet works: as soon as someone goes "meme-famous," there's no coming back. Poor Harry Maguire is once again the punchline to a joke that's been spreading like wildfire on social media and image-hosting websites. This time, all the other World Cup nations (apart from England) are Tom Cruise laughing at his presence.

Is it fair? Not really. While Maguire is known for making occasional on-pitch mistakes, he's still a solid defender with more than 40 caps for England.

And... Another One!

"It's coming home"—the slogan is screamed by every English fan as soon as the World Cup is about to begin. However, the trophy only "went home" once in the history of the English national soccer team (in 1966, at Wembley). English people have been waiting for their second moment of glory ever since.

What's the solution? Maybe getting Phil Foden and Harry Kane (two of the best of their generation) more involved in the game. All but benching Harry Maguire, of course!

The Rightful Anti-Sponsor

More than a meme, this is a brilliant anti-marketing campaign made by the Scottish multinational brewery company BrewDog. Instead of joining the 2022 FIFA World Cup as an official sponsor, BrewDog decided to stand with the many voices that have been critical of the event.

BrewDog points out the questionable decisions FIFA has made in the recent past by selecting countries with a bad international reputation to host the World Cup. Is North Korea next? Sounds like a stretch, but who knows?

World War III Vibes

Everybody loves soccer, from toddlers to 80-year-olds. But while kids cannot wait to see two great soccer teams clash against one another (Spain versus Germany matches are always amazing!), grown-ups are paying attention to a different game.

Luck has dictated that Iranian and the United States nations should faceoff at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We hope their interaction on the pitch reflects something other than their complicated geopolitical relationship. However, if there's a reason for these two to be friends, it has got to be soccer!

From Croatia, With Love

While many soccer superstars tend to end their careers by around 34 years of age, notable exceptions such as the Croatian midfielder Luka Modric continue to play at the highest level at the age of 37. In the meme, he is depicted as an old man still playing in the World Cup in the year 2165.

We get the joke, but what's funny is that Modric isn't even the oldest athlete in the competition. That honor belongs to Alfredo Talavera, a 40-year-old Mexican goalkeeper.

Laughing at Netflix

One of the disadvantages of hosting the World Cup in Qatar (if we ignore the evident ethical issues) is the fact that the country will most likely attract fewer visitors than other alternatives. With that in mind, an online meme-maker decided to take a hit at Netflix.

Netflix is probably still feeling the burn of this fiery meme. Even though the streaming network has some great content, most TV buffs believe they missed the mark in adaptations such as "Girlboss," "The Outsider," and "Tau."

Cultural Clash

It's great to get to know new cultures, and that's part of the fun of going to a major international event like the FIFA World Cup. But sometimes, cultural clashes can be hard to digest. Especially for westerners traveling to a country that's still stuck in the past.

Shared on 9Gag, this image shows that freedom of expression is hardly guaranteed in Qatar, both for locals and visitors. No dating? No loud music and sounds? That's what we call a party pooper!

A Ghostly Mascot

A new mascot is introduced before every edition of the World Cup, and the Qatari have decided to go with La'eeb, a mascot inspired by a piece of clothing worn by men. It's called keffiyeh (and also known as a ghutrah, shemagh, or čapiya) and is a traditional Arabic scarf made of cotton.

La'eeb looks like a lot of fun, but an online meme-maker noticed it resembled a ghost. Maybe the ghost of the many workers who died during the construction of the Qatari stadiums?

Two Times Official

This online meme isn't winning any extra points for its cultural sensitivity. Still, it's nonetheless a funny remark on how culturally different Qatar is from the western world. This particular meme was most likely inspired by the aforementioned La'eeb, whom some soccer fans called "the ugliest World Cup mascot ever."

There's no hate in laughing at something, but it's always important to keep in mind beauty is relative. For the Arab people, La'eeb is probably the best sports mascot they could've ever imagined.

Breaking News

There's no limit to the online abuse the Italian national soccer team needs to endure during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It's not just the fans of other nations, nor even the disappointed Italian fans: it turns out Italian Football TV is also in on the joke... All because Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the second time in a row!

The 2022 World Cup is the tournament's first edition held in November (in the middle of the European soccer season) instead of the summer.

An Enlightening Picture

More than a meme, this picture is an enlightening visual representation of why so many people have been pushing for a World Cup boycott. Accidents happen all the time, and sadly, huge construction projects tend to involve the deaths of some workers. But Qatar is on a whole other level.

Not even the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, have caused the deaths of even half of the workers who passed away during the construction of the Qatari stadiums. It's shameful!

It's an Idea...

Many reputable soccer personalities have publicly spoken out against the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar, from the German midfielder Joshua Kimmich to the French former forward Thierry Henry. But wouldn't this be the best form of protest?

If all the players in the 2022 FIFA World Cup united, they could do something truly meaningful to let the world—and FIFA—know that it's not okay to partner with a country where so many human rights are still being violated.

A Powerful Symbol

Jokes aside, it's great to see some of the teams involved in the 2022 FIFA World Cup have made an effort to remember the many lives lost in the construction of the tournament's stadiums. This beautiful symbolic gesture will help ensure that these workers' memory will forever be linked to Qatar 2022.

The toned-down red shirt of the Denmark national soccer team expresses what most feel: that celebrating the World Cup would be much better in a country that cares about human rights.

Evil Qatar

Pretty much like Dubai, in the neighboring United Arab Emirates, Qatar is known for its elegant modern buildings. The most famous is probably the Katara Towers, a 692-feet-tall skyscraper in Lusail with a whopping 40 floors of apartments, office spaces, restaurants, and shops (there are also two five-star hotels).

The Katara Towers were built in 2022, just in time to make it into yet another World Cup meme reflecting Qatar's "evilness." Funnily enough, the eye of Sauron, from "Lord of the Rings," fits like a glove in there...

Good One, Rod!

The 2022 FIFA World Cup has been causing such controversy that world-class musicians decided to join their fans and boycott the event. The one-and-only Rod Stewart reportedly refused $1 million just not to be associated with the Qatari organization. According to As, pop singers Dua Lipa and Shakira also refused to perform a the event's opening ceremony.

Disappointed by their first, second, and third choices, the Qatari organization decided to enlist the services of Jung Kook, a member of the famous K-Pop group "BTS."

He Has a Point!

What is it that makes a World Cup great? The quality of the games, the unpredictability of the winner, and the vibe in the stadiums. Regardless of what happens in Qatar in 2022, though, the current edition of the World Cup has been tainted by so many scandals that's hard to believe it will go down in history as one of the best.

Because soccer has always been about inclusion, it's impossible to say that this facet of the beautiful game will be well-represented in Qatar.

Hairstyle Galore

Every World Cup is a great opportunity for soccer stars to showcase their best hairstyles. As Brazil's top player and one of the world's most famous athletes, Neymar is more than accustomed to changing his appearance. So many, in fact, that he's been the punchline to many online memes.

In this one, notice how the color of his mane changes after he gets comforted by a FIFA referee. Props to whoever did this because even the shade of pink is a perfect match!

It's a Trap

Everyone who's into memes knows what it means when Admiral Ackbar, from "Star Wars," appears: it means "It's a trap!" Considering Qatar's international reputation, it's hard to disagree with Ackbar on this one. Designing areas just so drunken fans can sober up? There's something inherently fishy about it.

But maybe we're just being way too suspicious. Perhaps the goal of the Qatari organization is to prevent the locals from having fun with soccer fans who had one drink too many.

No, It Doesn't!

People who care about human rights and soccer have been paying close attention to what's going on in Qatar. This online meme-maker is planning to boycott the 2022 FIFA World Cup, not because of the mistreatment of workers and discrimination towards the gay, but because they are just not into soccer...

We get that some people don't understand why soccer is the world's most popular sport, but we also believe that few things can be more exciting than watching a great soccer match.

When the Focus of Attention Shifts

A few days before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the landing of an (allegedly) Russian missile in Polish territory made headlines all over the world. The missile caused two Polish citizens' deaths and dominated social media trends. Indirectly, it also made most people momentarily forget about Qatar.

This online meme depicts Qatar as someone unhappy for no longer being the center of attention and shows that it's possible to laugh at anything, even the prospect of World War III!

A Truly Inclusive Game

We have mentioned before that soccer is extremely inclusive, but how inclusive? Well, there are more than 200 countries and six confederations in FIFA, meaning that the sports organization has more members than the United Nations (UN) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)! There's room for everyone, even... Flat-Earthers!

People who disagree that the world is round should be more than happy to see that an online meme-maker has come up with an alternative version of the World Cup trophy. Science?

Sponsoring Evil

Sponsoring the FIFA World Cup tends to be a winning move for brands. But the 2022 Qatar edition is so controversial that it may hurt instead of helping the reputation of its sponsors. As stated by Marketing Week, sponsors "can't win at the Qatar World Cup," and some are already being called out for endorsing the tournament on social media.

This picture inspired a few angry comments and depicts some of the main 2022 World Cup sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Adidas, Hyundai-Kia, VISA, and Qatar Airways.

Sweaty Sponsors

According to studies conducted by PWC and Deloitte, consumers worldwide have become more socially conscious and eco-friendly when purchasing goods. This means that, if a brand behaves badly, it will probably end up feeling the consequences. Is this going to happen to the sponsors of the 2022 FIFA World Cup?

A horrible PR move surely won't hurt corporations as huge as Coca-Cola and VISA in the long term. However, we hope that they will at least see their sales numbers drop.

Too Late, Blatter!

Once it was determined that Iran was "directly involved" in terrorist attacks that took place in war-torn Ukraine, major Ukrainian figures such as Shakhtar Donetsk's chief executive Sergei Palkin asked FIFA to remove Iran from the 2022 World Cup. Contrary to Joseph Blatter, FIFA never took these demands too seriously.

But what's Blatter even doing? Saying that Iran should be "barred from Qatar" is a popular opinion, except if it's coming from the guy most soccer fans agree has forever ruined FIFA's reputation.

Trust No One!

As soon we think we're being too prone to conspiracies, we see a news headline like this! Shared on 9Gag and Reddit, this remark from Joseph Blatter seems to prove what everybody was thinking: that FIFA is as corrupt as any major political, sports, and financial organization out there.

While Blatter's words can never be interpreted as 100% truthful (he has a reputation, after all), this is the type of shocking revelation that further increases the distrust people have of politicians.

Three Decades of Corruption

In the German version of Wikipedia, there's a whole article about FIFA's corruption. The English version is even more exhausting, with dedicated articles for each of FIFA's corruption scandals (including the 2022 FIFA World Cup controversies). If you're thinking that something like this doesn't happen by chance, you're right!

The abuse of power going inside FIFA was driven by a few individuals at the top but is probably systematic. Given the situation, FIFA's decision to host back-to-back World Cups in Russia and Qatar was not very smart.

The Harsh Reality

The iconic Italian former head coach Arrigo Sacchi once famously said that "Football [soccer] is the most important of the least important things." Soccer is such a passionate game that it's hard to disagree with Sacchi; but isn't it time we finally put the truly important things above it?

While every soccer fan wants the World Cup to happen, we believe most would prefer to wait four years and enjoy a fair tournament than side with the human rights abuses in Qatar.

The True 2022 FIFA World Cup Song

The Qatari organization has purchased the rights to a few songs for the 2022 World Cup, including "Light The Sky" (by four famous Arab singers) and "Hayya Hayya (Better Together)" (by AISHA, Davido, and Trinidad Cardona). In the West, however, everybody's more into Rasmus Wold's "Never Mind the Slavery."

Don't worry: the song's title, lyrics, and content are satirical. The tune is a production made by a Norwegian comedian to raise awareness of how oblivious some people are to Qatar's human rights abuse situation.

It's Not Just Soccer

Yes, soccer is the biggest sport on the planet, but it's not the only one partnering with countries and institutions known for their human rights violations. While the 2022 Qatar has led to massive indignation, Formula 1 fans have been quietly supporting their favorite athletes in Lusail (Qatar), Selangor (Malaysia), Sochi (Russia), and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) for years now.

Maybe once it's done with the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the media focus can shift to other sports and help make the world a better place.

Italy's Bad Luck... Portugal's Luck!

Italy's bad luck turned out to be Portugal's good luck. In the European play-off to access the FIFA World Cup, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, and North Macedonia were all fighting for just one place in the group's stage. Everybody expected Italy and Portugal to face each other, but the Italians ended up being shockingly eliminated by the humble nation of North Macedonia.

With all respect for the Macedonians, Portuguese soccer fans were more than happy to avoid fighting the mighty Italians for a place in the World Cup. They won 2-0.

No Peace for the Italians

The Italian and Swiss people may share the mountainous region of the Alps, but they don't think about sharing when it comes to soccer. Due to the proximity of the two countries, Italy and Switzerland have been sports rivals for decades now. That's probably why these Swiss fans went out of their way to make fun of their neighboring country.

We're enjoying how they chose to tease their rivals: with a Google search screenshot letting everyone know Switzerland is in Qatar, while Italy doesn't.

Everybody's Question

So, is it or is it not ethical to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup? On one hand, it's good not to support a country that openly discriminates against the LGBTQIA+ community in any way. On the other, nothing will actually change in the world just because someone decides to turn on the TV to watch a sports match.

Our recommendation? If you really want to watch the games, do it while keeping in mind that there's a dark side to what you're seeing.