Everything is different at this year's World Cup: for example, it will not take place in the summer as usual, but in the run-up to Christmas. In addition, the host country Qatar has been criticized for various human rights violations. This raises the question for many fans: should we boycott the World Cup or can and should we make a clear distinction between the leadership of a country and the sport? Does it help at all if I refrain from watching the games? Not an easy question, but one thing is clear: the decision is private and up to each person. The situation is somewhat different on the official side. Here it is good and right for cities and municipalities to take a clear position. Like numerous other cities in Hesse, Frankfurt has made it clear: public viewing events, such as those that have taken place at past World and European Championships, will not take place this time. Frankfurt's head of sports Mike Josef has made it clear in several statements that such public events could not be reconciled with the projects and campaigns with which the city calls for respect for human rights.
Stadium managing director Patrik Meyer also gives a clear rejection to public viewing in the Waldstadion. Here the reason is however another: In the winter months there will be extensive building measures for the development of the northwest curve. While there have also been public viewing events at the popular rooftop location City Beach during previous soccer championships in the summer, no match broadcasts are planned at the City Christmas Market Frankfurt, which currently takes place at the location on the roof of the Konstablerwache parking garage.
There will also be no World Cup matches to watch at Frankfurt's large Christmas market. Thomas Feda, managing director of Tourismus+Congress GmbH, says there was discussion, but it was very brief. He says a broadcast of soccer matches simply does not fit the atmosphere of the Christmas market. In addition, the carefully prepared security concept would have had to be completely readjusted. Thomas Roie, Chairman of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Showmen's Association, also makes it quite clear that there is no interest whatsoever on the part of the showmen. Of course, it could be that fewer people come to the Christmas market during prominent games, but that would also be the case at folk festivals when the World Cup takes place in the summer.
Whoever wants to combine a visit to the Christmas market with watching the World Cup must make their way to Offenbach. At booth 1, booth 14 in the tent and booth 22 in the tent of the mulled wine stand, Christmas market visitors can watch the games on smaller monitors. Nevertheless, the soccer World Cup is also to play only a very minor role here.
In sports bars, pubs and restaurants, in which sports events are regularly transmitted, there will usually also be the opportunity to enjoy the games with other fans together for the soccer World Cup. And it can be assumed that - provided the German eleven masters the preliminary round and then kicks its way towards the final - even locations that do not offer pack viewing for the first time will reconsider this decision. But larger public viewing events will definitely not take place in Frankfurt, Wiesbaden and other cities in Hesse.
