Blog

CINCINNATI — It’s been eight years since the United States men’s national team took the pitch in a FIFA World Cup. Despite immense controversy surrounding the 2022 tournament in Qatar, local soccer fans can’t wait to cheer on the team on the world’s largest stage.

“It’s going to be great,” said Aaron Kohlhepp, who grew up playing the sport in Northern Kentucky and Southwest Ohio. He turned that passion for the game into co-ownership of Rhinehaus, a soccer-oriented sports bar in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

Fans celebrate at Rhinehaus sports bar in Cincinnati during a U.S. men’s national team match. (Photo courtesy of Rhinehaus)

The bar plans to be open for all 64 matches during the month-long tournament, including the opening match on Sunday, Nov. 20 between host nation Qatar and Ecuador.

A handful of the matches during group play begin as early as 5 a.m. EST. Rhinehaus won’t be able to serve alcohol when those early games start due to state law, but they’ll still be open.

They bought a coffee-maker just for this tournament, Kohlhepp said with a laugh. He invited fans to bring in their own breakfast foods and nonalcoholic beverages for the early matches.

“We’re not sure how many people are going to show up for the 5 a.m. matches, but we’ve made a name for ourselves as a soccer bar in this city, so we’re gonna be that soccer bar for the entire tournament,” he added.

Kohlhepp is expecting crowds similar to the 2014 tournament in Brazil. That’s the last time the United States qualified for the World Cup.

The shotgun-style bar can seat about 50 people, but can accommodate up to 100. Kohlhepp predicted having to turn away would-be patrons during the U.S. matches and possibly other signature contests.

He advised fans to arrive early for those.

“Sadly, we didn’t make the field in 2018. The World Cup crowds were still great that year, but we obviously missed that enthusiasm surrounding the U.S.,” Kohlhepp said. “It’s great to be back this year and we feel a lot of positive energy.”

Is the U.S. a contender or a pretender?

The U.S. is in World Cup Group B. It features Wales, Iran and England, considered by many to be among the frontrunners for taking home the championship trophy in mid-December.

Thankfully for Kohlhepp and other soccer fans, all three of the U.S. matches during the group stage take place at 2 p.m. The Americans play Wales on Monday, Nov. 21, England on Friday, Nov. 25 and it closes group play against Iran on Tuesday, Nov. 29.

The top two teams in each of the eight groups advance to the Round of 16.

The 26-player U.S. squad is one of the youngest in the field. With an average age of just over 25, this is the second-youngest World Cup team in U.S. history.

Christian Pulisic celebrates during a U.S. men’s national team game. (AP)

The only player with prior World Cup experience is defender DeAndre Yedlin, who came in as a substitute in three games in 2014.

”I’m forever the optimist and I always think we can win at all,” Kohlhepp said. “I know realistically that’s next to impossible, but I expect this to get out of the group and then after that, if they play great for 90 minutes, anything can happen.”

Despite their relative youth, this collection of talent is one of the most star-studded in program history. It features players from several of the biggest clubs in the world – Arsenal, Barcelona and Juventus.

Arguably the biggest American name is Christian Pulisic, 23, an attacking midfielder. He’s developed an international reputation by performing well for global powerhouses such as Borussia Dortmund in Germany and London-based Chelsea.

While happy with the roster selections overall, Zach Blandford voiced disappointment over the fact FC Cincinnati forward Brandon Vazquez, 24, didn’t get the call-up. He said there’s an “obvious need at that position.”

“I’m really just glad they’re back in the World Cup and with a pretty young and exciting team,” he added. “This is a group that’s going to be tough but it’s balanced competitively, so it’s going to be interesting.”

Controversy hovers over World Cup, Qatar

Blandford has cheered for the national team since the time he was 7 years old. He recalled rooting for Landon Donovan in World Cups while growing up in Cincinnati.

Instead of watching on the couch with his dad this year, Blandford plans to attend one of two viewing parties being hosted by the local chapter of the American Outlaws, the official supporter group of the men’s and women’s national teams.

Historically, the World Cup has been the second-most watched sporting event in the world behind only the Summer Olympics. FIFA leadership predicted as many as 5 billion viewers for this tournament, per a report from Front Office Sports.

But while the global popularity of the sport is not in question, the impact of the tournament being held in Qatar might be. Critics have raised questions about the location since FIFA awarded hosting rights to the Middle Eastern country 12 years ago.

Zach Blandford drums during a U.S. men’s national team game at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati. (Photo courtesy of Zach Blandford)

There’ve been claims of human rights abuses and mistreatment of migrant workers, and questions about the safety of LGBTQ individuals and concerns about women’s rights, according to Reuters. 

Homosexuality is outlawed in the conservative Muslim country. But the Qatari government denied the claims of human rights violations, Reuters reported.

“And there’s a whole different layer of stuff going on with Iran with their human rights protests and all kinds of turmoil within that country,” said Blandford.

“This should be a real building bubble — we have an exciting, young team; we’re back in the World Cup for the first time in years; it’s an interesting, diverse roster, players from all over, but people are going to tune out or scoff at the whole thing because of all the issues with it,” he added. “It’s just a shame all around.”

Over the past few weeks, FIFA leadership has stressed that all fans will be safe. They also urged fans and World Cup teams to focus on the matches in Qatar and not “ideological or political battles.”

Blandford voiced disappointment in FIFA’s statement, calling its recent statement “outrageous.”

“They’re the ones that run this process, and they knew the politics and the problems a decade ago,” he said. “For them to ask for people not to make this about politics is outrageous.”

In response to the controversy, the American Outlaws decided to not hold any events in Qatar during the World Cup. They typically do for all major U.S.-involved tournaments and matches.

Evan Whitney, 49, is a self-described soccer die-hard. He attended the World Cup in 2006 in Germany, and had tickets to the tournaments in 2010 and 2014 as well.

This year is different for him though. He doesn’t feel much in the way of “excitement or enthusiasm” for this World Cup, and that’s almost entirely due to the selection by FIFA of Qatar as host.

“It just feels wrong,” the Skaneateles, N.Y. resident said.

Whitney still plans to watch and support the U.S. team. “But I can do that and still be critical of the human rights abuses, corruption, LGBTQ and women’s rights concerns,” he added. “This World Cup is not for the fans; it’s an exercise in power, corruption and lies.”

Blandford understands why some fans may decide not to watch. He noted the politics either leading people to boycott the tournament or turning them off enough to make them not tune in “in the middle of a Tuesday workday.”

He described that as being a negative note to begin on as North America prepares to host the next World Cup in 2026.

But for Blandford, it’s not so easy. For him and other fans, the World Cup is the payoff for a multi-year commitment to attending tournament qualifying matches and traveling around the United States to support the program.

While he didn’t consider purchasing tickets to the tournament in Qatar, Blandford wouldn’t be upset by any U.S. fans who did.

“We just want to support our country and our team,” he said.