<p>None of the local die-hard sports fans in my life back in 1994 expressed much interest in the World Cup.</p><p>I wasn't even aware that such a tournament existed or that <a class="Link" href="https://www.wttw.com/playlist/2026/06/11/soldier-field-1994-fifa-world-cup" target="_blank" >Chicago </a>was among the hosts that year until an uncle from India gave me and my siblings a shoutout in a brief note written in English at the end of an Urdu-penned aerogram addressed to my mother.</p><p>The languid police chase with the white Ford Bronco carrying O.J. Simpson and Al Cowlings likely <a class="Link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6844638/2026/06/11/world-cup-1994-oj-simpson/" target="_blank" >lured my attention away</a> from the <a class="Link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6757908/2026/06/09/diana-ross-penalty-1994-world-cup/" target="_blank" >opening ceremony</a> 32 years ago at Soldier Field, where Oprah Winfrey fell through the stage and Diana Ross missed a staged penalty kick as she sang "I'm Coming Out."</p><p>But I also don't remember the subsequent World Cup games played on the Bears' home turf and at eight other stadiums across the country following the June 17, 1994, festivities and inaugural match between Germany and Bolivia. </p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-f40000" name="module-f40000"></a> <div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Columnists bug</div> <div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h2>Columnists</h2><br><i>In-depth political coverage, sports analysis, entertainment reviews and cultural commentary.</i><br></div> </div><p>I'm sure the soccer gods were calling all sorts of fouls on me and the majority of Americans who were <a class="Link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/17/IHT-the-world-cup-begins-today-in-us-before-an-ambivalent-home-audience.html" target="_blank" >oblivious or indifferent</a> as a <a class="Link" href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-1994-82aa012dd9a3c94d6c6b4f52ca9b5c16" target="_blank" >record 3.59 million</a> filled the stands.</p> <p>This time, I'm less clueless thanks to my soccer-loving friends and family, as well as the rising stature of the sport that has helped familiarize me with Mia Hamm, Megan Rapinoe, Mohamed Salah, <a class="Link" href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-argentina-lionel-messi-6bdb86e04ed24187b4321cdeed542d4c" target="_blank" >Lionel Messi</a> and other GOATs.