2026 World Cup already feeling Trump’s firm grip, a controversial host | OneFootball

Organizing a renewed World Cup with 48 teams is already a difficult task, a challenge for 2026 undertaken by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. But when the host is named Donald Trump, things become more complicated.

Six months before the kickoff of one of the most followed sporting events in the world, the unpredictable President of the United States is complicating the organization by pressuring his Canadian and Mexican neighbors, threatening to relocate matches, and imposing visa restrictions.

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What will be the impact on immigration policy?

Millions of foreign spectators are expected to visit the three host countries, especially the United States, where most of the matches will take place. But visitors will arrive in a country led by a ruler who has made anti-immigration policy the pillar of his mandate, with mass deportation campaigns.

And he continues to tighten the screws: after the attack on two soldiers last week, just meters from the White House, Trump suspended the issuance of visas to citizens of 19 countries, including Haiti and Iran, two World Cup qualifiers.

Tehran announced it would boycott the World Cup draw, which will take place on Friday in Washington, with Trump's presence, after the United States refused to issue visas to several members of its delegation.

Exceptions in football?

The American president claims that, under certain circumstances, the process can be expedited, but obtaining visas can take weeks or even months. The Republican leader says he is implementing a “Fifa pass” that will allow anyone with a World Cup match ticket to get an appointment more quickly.

In any case, “your ticket is not a visa,” warned American Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The conditions for entering the United States will not be relaxed: “The only difference is that we are prioritizing requests,” said Rubio.

Will Trump change the games?

The shadow of the Republican leader looms over some host cities, all led by Democrats. Los Angeles, for example, plans to host eight matches; San Francisco, six; and Seattle also six.

Without evidence, Trump accuses these American cities of allowing irregular immigration, insecurity, and crime to get out of control. The president threatened to move the games to other cities, a decision that would be an organizational nightmare for Fifa.

And also for the fans, many of whom have already booked their tickets, accommodation, and travel. This uncertainty is compounded by tensions over the deployment of National Guard troops to Democratic cities like Los Angeles, apparently to restore security.

The aggressive operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who pursue irregular immigrants across the country, are exacerbating tensions, while a climate of fear has settled in a segment of the Latino community.

In any case, the President of the United States could decide to extend the deployment of soldiers and agents until the World Cup.

And what about the neighbors?

The Republican president does not mince words when it comes to the World Cup co-hosts and has imposed tariffs on certain products. Among his ideas, he threatened to annex Canada and turn its northern neighbor into a new state of the United States. And to the south, he has not ruled out airstrikes in Mexico as part of his fight against drug cartels.

Could the organization of the World Cup be compromised?

It is unlikely, but organizers will have to add to their tasks a great coordination to manage visas, the flow of spectators, and, of course, security.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.