The feasibility of holding the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada, and Mexico has come under scrutiny as President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on both neighboring countries.
Seven years ago, when the joint bid was awarded, economic tensions involving tariffs and border disputes were overlooked in favor of emphasizing the “unity of the three nations.” Carlos Cordeiro, then-president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, called it “a powerful message.”
Now, with just over a year until the tournament kicks off, Trump is back in office, reigniting trade conflicts and announcing additional “reciprocal tariffs” set to take effect. How these escalating tensions will impact World Cup coordination, fan travel, and international cooperation remains uncertain.
“Tension’s a good thing,” Trump Says
In an Oval Office meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Trump dismissed concerns about geopolitical challenges affecting the World Cup.
“Oh, I think it’s going to make it more exciting,” he said. “Tension’s a good thing.”
Will the World Want to Come to the 2026 World Cup?
The U.S. is also set to host FIFA’s Club World Cup in June, golf’s Ryder Cup in September, and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, raising broader questions: Will the world still want to come? And will they even be able to?
Alan Rothenberg, who led the 1994 World Cup and the bid for the 1999 Women’s World Cup, believes they will.
“A passionate soccer fan is not going to be held up by that,” he said, pointing to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar, which still attracted over 3 million attendees each.
He dismissed the idea of boycotts, saying, “More than anything, they’ll see it as an opportunity for, perhaps, rapprochement, rather than escalating the tensions.” Even if Canada or Mexico withdrew, he added, “The U.S. would pick up the games in a heartbeat.”
Spectators Booing the U.S. National Anthem
Geopolitical tensions have already been felt in sporting events. Spectators in Canada recently booed “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a hockey match, raising concerns about similar displays during U.S. games at the World Cup.
FIFA did not respond to requests for comment, but Infantino has demonstrated admiration for Trump, meeting with him at least five times since the U.S. election.
The 2028 Olympics and Trump’s Role
Newly elected International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry addressed concerns about working with Trump, saying, “I have been dealing with, let’s say, difficult men, in high positions since I was 20 years old.”
She emphasized the importance of communication, adding, “My firm belief is that President Trump is a huge lover of sports. He will want these Games to be significant. He will want them to be a success.”
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee chairman Gene Sykes echoed that sentiment, saying, “I can’t speak for him, but I think he’s the kind of person who probably believes that having these go very, very well is a reflection of his leadership.”
Will Tariffs and Border Policies Affect the Tournament?
Smith College professor Andrew Zimbalist, an expert on the economics of sports, downplayed the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs, calling them “nonsense.”
“My guess is that if relations between Canada and the U.S. deteriorate to the point that there are travel restrictions and spending restrictions, Trump would—just like he’s making exceptions all the time on his tariffs policies—make an exception for a month or six weeks,” he said.
The Border as a Major Concern
While logistics such as security and team transportation are unlikely to be disrupted, some experts believe border policies could complicate travel.
“The main thing FIFA needs to move for this event is not car parts, and it’s not wheat, and it’s not electricity. It’s people. That’s your real concern,” said Victor Matheson, an economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross.
He warned that previously smooth border crossings “could become much more challenging, simply because both sides amp up their level of inspections and the United States, in particular, cuts down government services that allow people to move effectively between countries.”
Mexican Fans Unfazed by Trade Wars
Despite the political disputes, many believe the World Cup will proceed as planned.
“Soccer is religion,” said 29-year-old Mexican businessman German Camacho Pacheco. “I don’t think they care about tariffs.”
Wearing a Monterrey club jersey on his way to watch a game in Mexico City, Camacho dismissed the idea that trade wars would impact the tournament.
“Unless this goes from a trade war to an actual war,” he said, “I don’t think there will be any effect at all.
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