What can businesses learn from the 2018 Russia FIFA World Cup?

All over the world, football fans are trying to contain their excitement as the 2018 World Cup draws ever closer. Even those who don’t usually follow football often have a soft spot for the World Cup, as they support their national team’s hopes of winning the planet’s ultimate football contest. 

Organising such a massive event requires a serious amount of planning. FIFA has more than 200 member associations spread around the world, all of whom competed to be a part of the 2018 World Cup. The logistical and linguistic requirements are simply staggering. Even now that the 200+ teams have been whittled down to just 32 nations, the varied locations and differing languages of all those involved means that every minute detail has to be planned to ensure a fair and smooth-running contest for the countless viewers around the globe to enjoy. 

The 32 nations that will be making their way to Russia ready for the World Cup to kick off on 14 June speak at least 17 languages. Meanwhile, the supporting officials – consisting of 36 referees and 63 assistants – come from 46 different nations. Clearly, professional translation services will be working overtime over the next few weeks. 

Lessons for the business world

The main lesson that companies can learn from the example of the World Cup is that, with the right level of planning and attention to detail, anything is possible. Operating across international borders can be a tricky process, but with the right mind-set – and superb translation services – it can be done. 

The power of translation is not to be underestimated here. From the individual players, who learn key match-related words in other languages prior to international contests, to the support staff who will guide them in the host country and help with localization, there is a concerted effort to break down language barriers. The result is a truly global enterprise, which many businesses can benefit from emulating. 

The ability to put politics aside in order to work together for the greater good is also highlighted by international sporting competitions of this nature. Russia has something of a chequered reputation around the globe, but the inclusive nature of the FIFA competition means that the teams can overcome this in order to take part in the World Cup there. It’s a lesson in the power of overcoming differences and again a great lesson for businesses. 

Professional translation services

If your business intends to use the World Cup as inspiration to take on the globe, Tomedes can help. Our professional human translators cover a vast range of language pairings and subject specialisations. We also offer professional localization services to help you connect with people in the right way. Contact us to find out more.