In Less Than 24 Hours, the (Rest of the) World is Taking a Month Off

The most important kickoff in four years is less than twenty four hours away, when Germany and Costa Rica take the field to begin the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The World Cup has the international flavor of the Olympics, the win-or-go-home excitement of the NCAA's March Madness tournament, and a party atmosphere more raucous than any college football tailgate (especially if you can find a pub frequented by, say, Europeans). If you’ve never paid it attention, give it a chance this year.

I’m sure this site will feature updates and postings on sports law issues raised by this year’s event. So far, this year’s Cup has presented a number of fun issues touching on a variety of legal subjects:

How can a country that doesn’t exist (Serbia-Montenegro, which split last month), field an international team?

Can Hooligans be banned from an entire country?

Is Germany doing enough to stop the influx of sex workers in connection with the Cup?

Should ticket scalping by Cup players be banned?

Is just saying “no” enough to stop racism?

Should the president of a would-be nuclear state be banned from coming to watch his country play?

Should laborers be given time off to watch games?

Should employers be able to insure against such absences?

What procedures should be employed to investigate doping violations?

Should it be legal to give World Cup tickets to German bureaucrats?

There are also those classic questions, like whether legal systems affect World Cup success and the extent of the impact of World Cup success on national financial markets.

For less legal-centric commentary, I’d recommend the New York Times or BBC World Cup Blogs and FIFA’s official Cup news site.