With all the scandal surrounding FIFA at the moment, it seems like very bad timing that the Women's World Cup has just kicked off in Canada. I happened to be in Vancouver when the tournament rolled into town and a friend managed to snag me some tickets for Equador vs Cameroon and Switzerland vs Japan (the current champions), so I thought I would go with an open mind and see what I could learn.
The beautiful game played beautifully
I must admit that I had never watched a women's football match before. I rarely manage to get to see football live, I support Liverpool and their stadium is not that close to my home in Oxfordshire (it's a long journey and a long story), so I cycled to the impressive BC Place stadium in downtown Vancouver with very few expectations. My electronic ticket was scanned at the door and once inside the stadium it had all the buzz you would expect from a major global event. The double ticket allowed me to watch Cameroon annihilate Equador with a 6-0 drubbing, including a penalty at 94 minutes which was the last kick of the game. The skill level, from Cameroon at least, was impressive with fast flowing football, crunching tackles and even some theatrical diving just as you'd expect in a men's game. Japan vs Switzerland was even better, with both teams playing impressive and exciting football. It was an engrossing game and watched with appreciation by the mixed audience of equal numbers men and women. Even though the stadium was only around half full, there was definitely no suggestion that this was an imitation football tournament; there was the same level of professionalism both on the pitch and in the management of the event. I thought of my daughters, and was encouraged that women's football, and hopefully women's sport in general, seems to be changing for the good.
A minority can make a big impact
The later evening game was definitely better attended than the one in the afternoon, but it was the Japanese football fans who made the difference in the atmosphere. They arrived early and gave out headbands embroidered with the Japanese flag, which instantly transformed the level of engagement from the crowd. Many fans had also brought musical instruments, and every one had smiles on their faces. Their enthusiasm was infectious and they made instant Japan fans out of everyone that was near them. Soon we were all shouting "Nippon, Nippon " and cheering as the game's only goal went to Japan. As I watched the tiny group of Japanese fans make a huge impact on a massive stadium, I wondered again at what a small but generous minority can do. It gave me hope that a church with passion, vision and a benevolent spirit really could change the world.
Cultural diversity makes most things better
Vancouver is one of the world's most culturally diverse cities, with large numbers of immigrants from all around the globe, but with the added benefit of the World Cup in town the diversity levels went through the roof. I was sat near some Germans, some people from Singapore and Spanish speakers from South America. The sense of shared enjoyment in eachother's company and celebrating the richness of eachother's cultures even for a short time was really encouraging. It reminded me of a church in Vancouver I visited a few days ago which had scores of cultures present, each one adding something to the worship, the prayer and the response to the preaching. I was speaking that day and my Malaysian, Sri Lankan and Irish ancestry made me feel strangely at home. The church seemed stronger and more fully alive because of the variety of people that were present. In a divided world this kind of unity is a prophetic sign that is urgently needed.
To celebrate Japan's victory I headed downtown after the game and came across Japandog – a Japanese American fusion restaurant. As I squirted wasabi mayo on my jumbo dog, I had a little taste of how the diversity of cultures can make life that bit better.
Krish Kandiah is a contributing editor to Christian Today. He is president of London School of Theology and founder and director of Home for Good. You can follow him on Twitter: @krishk
