The run-up to the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup was utterly dispiriting to me.

However, the games have begun, and things are feeling normal again, even in the face of... everything.

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Out our way, FIFA’s been like a pain in the ass uncle at a barbecue that’s already too hot with not enough food or cold drinks. But it means that when we drive into Center City, we take MLK Drive, which is verdant and comparatively peaceful.