This weekend, the 22nd FIFA World Cup kicks off from Qatar, which was definitely not a controversial hosting decision. The World Cup is one of sports greatest spectacles, featuring 32 countries putting their best men forward to battle on the pitch.
In 1996, the NHL and IIHF tried to spring off their version, the World Cup of Hockey. It was a great success, but apparently not a recreatable one. They were able to scrap together tournaments in 2004 and 2016, but haven’t been able to get a consistent, four-year rotation going. The NHL had plans to fix that starting in 2024, but they’re being put on hold due to a certain country deciding that an international border was merely a suggestion, and then committing war crimes when the other country disagreed.