So the USMNT won’t be in the World Cup next year. Your summer plans probably got completely thrown out of whack without the Red, White & Blue to watch in Russia. But fear not. We here at The18 have a list of 10 things to do next summer that don’t involve the U.S. at the World Cup.
These 10 things should keep you busy for most of the summer, or at least keep you distracted enough from the fact the U.S. won’t be in the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
Family vacation.
What better way to spend a summer than cruising around the great U-S-of-A with some buddies. Forget about the world’s largest game of soccer ball by stopping by the world’s largest ball of twine in Kansas, the world’s largest ball of paint in Indiana, the world’s largest ball of stamps in Nebraska or the Museum of Death in California.
A ball-themed road trip is just what you need to get away from it all for a while and we have the perfect playlist for you.
Sticking with the ball theme, 2018 is the year of Rollerball. A film starring James Caan released in 1975, Rollerball featured a sport similar to roller derby but more violent and dystopian, aptly described as “the most fantastic entertainment of all time.”
So it’s almost 2018 and we don’t have a Rollerball league yet. Let’s fix that, America. Just don’t base it on the 2002 version of the flick.
Step Brothers.
It’s easy to get too busy for some of your friends and family and next summer could be a great time to reconnect. Spend June 4-July 15 with your loved ones instead of at a bar watching grown men kick a ball around.
Also, friends and family may be just as miserable as you are about a World Cup without the USMNT and could use your compassion and support. Unless they’re rooting for England.
The great outdoors.
When summer rolls around, do you really want to be cooped up inside watching soccer when you could be out in the sunshine? Or better yet, you could play soccer instead of watching it.
There are lots of things to do outside, like taking a walk, going swimming, playing tag, herding cattle, jumping rope and playing sports. Just remember to wear sunscreen!
Let's hide in a hole.
It might be hard to deal with a World Cup without the U.S., so one option to avoid the frustration is to just hole up in a room without internet and don’t come out until the World Cup is over.
Going the opposite route of the above item, it’s hard to be sad about the USMNT not being in the World Cup if you have no access to the outside world.
Volunteer.
Since you won’t be spending time watching the U.S. in Russia, take that gained time and give back to your community. There are plenty of ways to volunteer and a website like Volunteer Match can help get you started.
Not everyone has money to donate, but everyone can find time to donate. So do it already.
Play FIFA 18.
Just because the U.S. is out of the World Cup in real life doesn’t mean you can’t recreate the World Cup in a video game. Just load up your PlayStation/Xbox and play some FIFA 18.
With a few presses of a button you can be playing as Christian Pulisic at the 2018 World Cup and it’ll be just like the real thing. Only this time, the U.S. actually has a chance to win because we know you’re playing the game on semi-pro difficulty.
Stranger Things.
The second season of Stranger Things comes out on Netflix on Oct. 27 and we know you’ll be binging through it that weekend with Halloween right around the corner. But by the summer you’ll be looking for something to watch and Stranger Things will still be there.
The first season was incredible and if you haven’t seen it yet you’re doing life wrong. You’ll probably watch the second season again around Christmas time (right after you finish the third season of Man In The High Castle). So the summer is the perfect time to whip out the Netflix and spend some time in the upside down, although the strangest things already happened.
Mid-term elections.
Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat or independent, the 2018 mid-term elections will be massively important. Summer can drag on when you don’t have a soccer team to watch in an international tournament, so do some research on who is up for election.
There are a number of high-quality, bipartisan resources for you to check out and the best part is, by the time you wake up from reading them the summer will be over and the Premier League will be back on TV.
Watch the World Cup.
This is a tough one because it’s like going to your ex’s wedding, but you can still have fun. You still watch the World Cup after your team is knocked out in the Round of 16, so why abstain from watching when your team is knocked out before it even begins? Maybe even root for Mexico, the nearest neighbors to the U.S. who will be in Russia.
The World Cup will still be highly entertaining and you’ll have to wait four more years for the next one, so enjoy it while you can, with or without the U.S.
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