Where to watch the World Cup

The World Cup, the most popular sporting event on the planet, begins Sunday in the tiny Middle Eastern peninsula country Qatar.

Driving the news: Among the reasons to be excited about the quadrennial event: two players from Seattle Sounders FC — forward Jordan Morris and midfielder Cristian Roldan — are on the U.S. Men's National Team.

• DeAndre Yedlin, a Seattle native and an O'Dea alum who currently plays for MLS club Inter Miami is also on the team.
• Other players with Seattle ties include: Xavier Arreaga playing for Ecuador and defender Nouhou Tolo who for Cameroon.

📺 Details: The U.S. will play Wales on Monday at 11am PST. The official Sounders watch party is going down at Seattle Center Armory.

• Limited garage and street parking is available, but fans are encouraged to use public transit.

Dozens of other venues will be hosting watch parties in the region. Here are a few lists compiled by our media friends:

• Patch
• KING5
• FOX13

Be smart: While fans will have their eyes on the ball, others will be watching for geopolitical, economic and security impacts, according to Factal Forecast, a weekly newsletter by the breaking news and technology company's editors. Their report says:

• The nomination of the first Arab Muslim country to host the tournament was controversial amid reports that soccer officials were paid to support the nomination.

• The country’s size, no larger than Connecticut, has posed challenges to hosting the millions of spectators expected.
• The event is usually held in the summer, but Qatar's climate forced rescheduling.
• Qatar's human rights record, especially its laws that target the LGBTQ+ community, sparked strong criticism. In response, the U.S. team added the rainbow flag to its logo.

What's next: Seattle is slated to host the World Cup in 2026.