Watching the World Cup in LA
Los Angeles has been buzzing as one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup. We love sports here, and when an event this big comes to town, the entire city seems to come alive. I was lucky enough to get tickets to the Iran versus New Zealand match.
The game came with its share of controversy before kickoff, but there are plenty of places to talk about that. Here at Watch Dailies, the question was much more important. What watch do you wear to the World Cup?
If you have been following the blog, you know I tend to overthink these things. I can spend more time deciding on a watch and camera combo for walking my pug than the walk itself, so choosing what to bring to the World Cup was a monumental task. After metaphorically running from one side of the pitch to the other multiple times in my head, I landed on my G Shock GA2100SKE-7A. It was the perfect choice. It is comfortable, understated, and tough enough that I never had to think about it. Would it be on par with the Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet pieces worn by the World Cup participants? No. Not even in the same universe. But that doesn’t matter. I was going to be fighting for my life, navigating through crowds and enduring sweltering heat, moving to and from the stadium.
My Leica M10 R was an easy decision. It is the smallest digital camera that I trust to survive the journey. Though I made the mistake of taking two lenses, which led to some time arguing with the security until I managed to speak to a supervisor who had a heart and brain I could communicate with. I was, in all technical aspects, in the right. No way I was going to part with any gear. Half the fun of going to an event like this is capturing the moments around the game, not just the game itself.
Getting there was surprisingly easy thanks to Los Angeles' dedicated World Cup bus routes. Riding with fans only added to the excitement before we even reached the stadium. I give LA public transit a lot of shade, but it was a simple process. A very, very, very long ride, though. We need a better train system. We spent almost two hours in traffic riding on the bus. Standing up because there was no room to sit. Two years until LA28. Yikes.
Getting to the parking lot was a relief. Trapped inside the metal sausage of a vehicle, riled us passengers up like animals seeking release into the wild. We dashed out and speed-walked to the security line. Unsurprisingly, protesters were chanting in a large group outside of the stadium. I’m no expert, so I won’t pretend to know what was going on. I will say that it was peaceful, and I never felt unsafe. Inside, the atmosphere was unforgettable. The Iranian supporters brought incredible energy all night. Every attack had the crowd on its feet, and every dangerous chance was met with a roar that echoed through the stadium like crashing waves. It was impossible not to get caught up in it, and I found myself photographing the fans just as much as the players.
Before the final whistle blew, we had one goal of our own. Make the first bus home. We joined the crowd, fast-walking back to the pickup area, and somehow we pulled it off. First bus home.
The World Cup has only gotten more exciting since that night, with Argentina and Spain set to meet in the championship this Sunday, July 19. Looking back, I would not change a thing. The G-Shock quietly did its job, the Leica captured memories I will enjoy for years, and I got to experience one of the biggest sporting events in the world right here in Los Angeles.
Until next time, let's watch a game together.