World Cup 2026: Could cohost politics have an impact? – DW – 06/11/2025
A year out from a football World Cup across three countries, tensions between the USA, Canada and Mexico hang over preparations. From travel bans and trade wars to presidential grandstanding, politics could play a part.
A year out from the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, host city Los Angeles is engulfed in protests related to the deportation of Mexicans and other minorities, an ever-shifting trade war threatens relations between the three hosts and a travel ban will prevent some fans attending.
While the whims of US President Donald Trump make predictions perilous, fans, players and national teams must already start to make plans for one of sport's biggest events, one secured in Trump's first term when relations between the countires were much more harmonious.
The ongoing riots are an immediate safety concern for the Club World Cup in the USA, with European champions Paris Saint-Germain set to meet Atletico Madrid in LA on the tournament's opening day on June 15 while the same city will host the first US game of the 2026 World Cup on June 12, a day after the tournament opens in Mexico.
Trump's travel ban, which came in to effect on Monday, bars citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the US. An exception was made for "any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state" but not for fans. Iran have already qualified for the World Cup but currently fans would not be able to travel to support them in the USA.
Trump sees opportunity in sport
The same is not yet true for citizens of Mexico and Canada. And for Andrew Zimbalist, Professor Emeritus of Economics at Smith College in the United States and author of "Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup," putting on a good show to burnish his own reputation is likely to be at the forefront of Trump's mind.
Trump issues travel ban for people from 12 countries
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
"Mr. Trump has shown a willingness to make exceptions when there's pressure. And I think further that Trump cares. He's a sports fan. He cares about his international image. He cares about the attention that that will come to him when both the Club World Cup in 2025 and the real World Cup in 2026 happen. These are photo opportunities for Trump to bask in in the game's glory," he told DW.
Zimbalist added that with Trump, things can always change quickly.
"There's a tremendous amount of tension and a tremendous amount of uncertainty about how Mr. Trump will behave, and we never know."
World Cup cohosts Canada and Mexico were, along with China, the first countries targeted in the evolving tariff war that began soon after Trump took office. Zimbalist doesn't predict the uneasiness at governmental level will have a significant impact on the tournament, arguing that there will be enough fans prepared to travel for games that any discouraged from doing so will not be noticeable. He also believes that relatively new leaders in Claudia Scheinbaum (Mexico, elected October 2024) and Mark Carney (Canada, elected March 2025) will not allow their countries to become marginalized.
"I think both with Carney in Canada and Scheinbaum in Mexico, that he has met his real enemy. These leaders are not bowing down to him, and they're both very, very smart, very well prepared, and at the moment, are popular in their countries. And so they have the latitude to take on Trump."
Mexican fans uncertain on match travel
Nevertheless, for Mexican fans in particular, traveling across the border to World Cup, or indeed Club World Cup games, in the USA is a fraught business.
"I don't feel afraid to go to the United States but it feels little bit like going to someone else's house where you are not welcome," said Alan, a Pachuca fan talking to DW ahead of his team's participation in the Club World Cup.
Iran fans will not be able to travel to World Cup games in the USA as things stand Image: Ismael Adnan Yaqoob/Anadolu/picture alliance
Other Pachuca fans complained that significant visa processing delays, some up to two years, meant they would have been unable to travel to support their team even without the current safety concerns.
"Appointments were delayed and then the president said that some Mexicans shouldn't go there, I think that has a big influence on why they're taking so long with the visas," said Axel.
"I would feel a little unsafe around the police and everything government-related and that side of the United States."
While demand for, and interest in, the World Cup will be on a different level to the revamped Club World Cup, which has proved controversial in some quarters, and stands may be filled with foreign nationals who live in any of the North American countries, it does seem like political relations will have some impact on fans, even if the stands will be full.
Canada and Mexico more able to stand up against Trump
While Canadians are not quite as central to the current events in LA, the USA's northerly neighbors have been at loggerheads with the Trump administration. The Star Spangled Banner was booed at ice hockey games in Canada in recent months and Carney's surprise election was partly ascribed to his willingness to take on Trump and his plan to make Canada the 51st state of the USA.
"Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign in the last several months, it's not for sale. Won't be for sale, ever," Carney told Trump when the pair met in May in a meeting that was otherwise relatively cordial despite clear tensions.
For those hoping to plan a visit to, or participation in, the World Cup, judging the political mood – and the implications of changes in it – have become as important as waiting for results from qualifying.
"I could see it happening along the way that if Scheinbaum becomes a little bit more aggressive than Trump wants her to be, or challenges some of Trump's immigration moves, that he would say: "You know what? I might not let Mexico participate in the World Cup, or I might not let this happen or that happen.' So I can see threats like that, but I'd have to believe that they wouldn't be carried out," said Zimbalist, musing on what might play out in the next year but speaking ahead of the LA protests.
The Club World Cup, which starts on Saturday and is hosted solely by the USA, is perceived by some as a test of elements of the country's readiness to host the World Cup. But the development or deterioration of relations between the three cohosts will be critical to next year's tournament's success.
Edited by: Chuck Penfold
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
3 hours ago
- DW
FIFA Club World Cup: What you need to know – DW – 06/12/2025
The Club World Cup is set to kick off in the United States to crown the world's best – with more teams than ever before. But it is far from universally loved. On June 14, the FIFA Club World Cup kicks off in a new, vastly expanded format. Why has this new Club World Cup been created? "It will be like a World Cup," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in late 2022 when he announced his plans for this expanded Club World Cup with 32 teams. Until now, only the six winners of the continental club championships and a club from the host country had taken part. Infantino's main goal for the new format is that it will generate increased revenue. The "new" Club World Cup is to be held every four years beginning in 2025. In the intervening years, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup will be played – following the old Club World Cup format. FIFA is planning to introduce a Women's Club World Cup in 2026. What are the key facts? The teams are divided into eight groups of four, with each team facing the other three in their group once. The top two teams in each group qualify for the round of 16 – at which point play continues in a knockout format through to the final. If a knockout-stage match is tied after 90 minutes, there will be two 15-minute periods of extra time. If the score is still tied, the match will be decided in a penalty shootout follows. Unlike the World Cup there will be no third-place match. The games will be played in 12 stadiums, all of which are in east of the United States, apart from Los Angeles and Seattle on the Pacific coast. The tournament opens on June 14 in Miami with the first match of Group A between the winner of the African Champions League, Al Ahly FC of Egypt, and MLS club Inter Miami, where Lionel Messi now plays. The final is slated for July 13 in New York. Bayern Munich have won the Club World Cup, including in 2013 with captain Philipp Lahm (center) when they beat Raja Casablanca in the final Image: FrankHoermann/SVEN SIMON/picture alliance Who will compete in the Club World Cup? Europe has the most participants, with 12 teams. The last four winners of the Champions League qualified plus the eight-best ranked teams in Europe over the past four years. Germany is represented by Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. South America has six teams, Asia and Africa have four teams, as does the region of North and Central America plus the Caribbean (CONCACAF). Oceania is represented by Auckland City FC of New Zealand. How much money is up for grabs? In its 2024 financial report, FIFA projected revenue of $2 billion (€1.75 billion) for this year's Club World Cup, with $1 billion to go to the participating clubs. FIFA will shell out just over half of this in participation payments – although this is not evenly distributed among the clubs. Some UEFA clubs receive the most. Under a special ranking that combines the clubs' sporting and commercial value, the payments per European club range between $12.8 million and $38.2 million. According to Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, the Bundesliga champions will receive around $30 million. Auckland are to receive just over a tenth of that. $475 million will be distributed as performance bonuses: for wins and draws in the group stage, for winning a group, and for advancing through the knockout rounds. The winner of the tournament receives $40 million in prize money, while the other finalist takes home $30 million. If a European club wins the Club World Cup, they could take home more than $125 million. How has the new Club World Cup format been received? Opinions are divided. The participating clubs are pleased about the generous financial rewards and have therefore been muted in their criticism. Many critics, though, point to the already overcrowded football calendar, arguing that this additional four-week tournament gives the players even less time to rest and recover – further increasing the risk of injury. Some Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund players will be on their way to the USA with their clubs just a few days after they were involved in the Nations League Finals. If any of these players were to reach the final on July 13, he would be left with under six weeks to go before the start of the new Bundesliga season on August 22. Lionel Messi will be hoping to pull in the crowds for the Club World Cup at home in Miami Image: Sam Navarro/Imagn Images/IMAGO Another point of criticism is the scheduling conflict with the Gold Cup (June 14 to July 6), the continental championship of the national teams of North and Central America and the Caribbean, will also be played in the USA and Canada. FIFA has exempted the clubs participating in the Club World Cup from the usual obligation to release players to their national teams. The Club World Cup could also distract football fans from the first 11 days of the Women's Euros, which is taking place in Switzerland (July 2 to 27). How has the fan response been? Ticket sales have been slow. Thousands of tickets are still available for the opening match in Miami. FIFA has since drastically reduced ticket prices for the match to prevent the embarrassment of TV images of empty stands. There are even plenty of tickets left for the final. No wonder: the cheapest ticket costs $766. The restrictive entry policies introduced by President Donald Trump's administration may deter some foreign fans from attending the tournament. The current protests in Los Angeles, one of host cities, also seem unlikely to encourage anyone to make a last-minute trip to the Club World Cup. This article was originally published in German.
DW
4 hours ago
- DW
Trump's use of power raises alarm over state of US democracy – DW – 06/11/2025
President Donald Trump has deployed the military against protesters in Los Angeles and ignored federal court orders — moves that have prompted concern about the condition of democratic institutions in the United States. Tensions remain high in Los Angeles, California, where thousands of people have been protesting federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. A curfew imposed by the city's mayor on Tuesday night brought some calm, but there are no signs of de-escalation. After deploying the National Guard, US President Donald Trump has now ordered the deployment of some 700 Marines — active-duty troops known for their rapid response and elite combat capabilities. According to a spokeswoman for the United States Northern Command, US troops will help protect federal buildings and personnel, including ICE agents. Since Friday, demonstrators have occupied the streets in Los Angeles, protesting ICE raids targeting individuals lacking proper immigration documentation. In some cases, masked ICE agents reportedly arrested people on the street. The crackdown reflects the Trump administration's hardline stance on immigration — and now the military has been called in by the president to assist. Presidential powers and the Insurrection Act Normally, the president cannot unilaterally deploy the National Guard within a US state; governors must authorize such deployments. California Governor Gavin Newsom has expressly rejected the need for the National Guard and has sued the Trump administration. Downtown LA under curfew after days of protests To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video However, under the Insurrection Act of 1807, the president has the authority to deploy military forces without the governor's consent in cases of rebellion or civil unrest. Trump's decision to invoke that authority is considered highly unusual, given the importance placed on states' rights in the US federal system. Governor Newsom has accused Trump of abusing executive power and warned that his actions threaten democratic norms. "California may be first, but it clearly won't end here," Newsom said, "Other states are next. Democracy is next." Trump sidelining the judicial branch Trump has repeatedly clashed with the US judicial system during his first five months back in office. Early in his term, he authorized deportations that went forward despite federal court orders blocking them. Since March, more than 250 non-US citizens — whom Trump has labeled as terrorists — have been deported to El Salvador. Flights to El Salvador's infamous CECOT maximum-security prison reportedly continued even after a federal judge ordered them grounded. To justify the deportations, the Trump administration cited the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, arguing it allows for the removal of nationals from "hostile nations," without affording them a right to trial. The Trump administration claims those deported were affiliated with the transnational criminal group Tren de Aragua. In the US system, the judiciary is one of three co-equal branches of government, alongside the executive and legislative branches. The balance among them is foundational to US democracy— critics say Trump is eroding that balance. Six of the nation's nine Supreme Court justices are conservatives, three were appointed by Trump. Will the 'principles of democracy' win out in the US? What about the legislative branch? Trump has largely bypassed Congress since returning to office in January, issuing 161 executive orders as of June 10 — more than any president in a similar time frame since World War II. His orders, which do not require House of Representatives or Senate approval, have had sweeping effects, from LGBTQ+ rights to trade policy. "Trump will definitely go down in history as the one who took executive power to its limits," wrote Patrick Malone, a professor of public administration and policy at American University in an email to DW. Malone questioned the legality of the president's mass firing of federal employees in the name of efficiency, for instance. "The question of legality of what this president has done are going to be in the courts for years to come," Malone said. He warned that the US democratic institutions are under serious pressure. One underlying issue, he said, is that many US laws were written for a nation vastly different from the one that exists today. But Malone is optimistic: "Institutions are generally quite difficult to topple. Hopefully, the principles of democracy will ultimately prevail." This article was published in German and translated by Jon Shelton.
DW
5 hours ago
- DW
IAEA says Iran not complying with nuclear obligations – DW – 06/12/2025
The UN nuclear watchdog has slammed Iran for failing to comply with its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in two decades. The UN nuclear watchdog IAEA has condemned Iran for being in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost two decades, diplomatic sources have said. The agency's 35-nation board of governors passed a resolution to that effect on Thursday, they said. They said the motion, drafted by the United States, Britain, France and Germany, was carried by 19 votes in favor. Russia, China and Burkina Faso opposed the motion, 11 abstained and two nations of the 35 did not vote. Iran responded defiantly to the resolution by announcing it would open a new enrichment site and upgrade centrifuges at the Fordow nuclear facility. Restored UN sanctions on Tehran possible The IAEA board "Finds that Iran's many failures to uphold its obligations since 2019 to provide the Agency with full and timely cooperation regarding undeclared nuclear material and activities at multiple undeclared locations in Iran ... constitutes non-compliance with its obligations under its Safeguards Agreement with the Agency," the resolution text, seen by Reuters news agency, said. Thursday's move could lead to further tensions between the West and Iran over its nuclear program and pave the way for United Nations sanctions on Tehran to be restored later this year. Undeclared nuclear materials The resolution by the IAEA comes after Iran has failed to give the agency credible explanations for the presence of uranium traces at undeclared sites in the country. The report by the agency at the end of May found that three of the four locations "were part of an undeclared structured nuclear program carried out by Iran until the early 2000s and that some activities used undeclared nuclear material." US intelligence services and the IAEA have suspected for some time that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program it halted in 2003. Iran has gradually been abandoning the commitments it made under the nuclear deal it agreed with world powers in 2015. That deal, which collapsed after the US withdrew from it in 2018 during US President Donald Trump's first term, lifted some sanctions in exchange for restrictions on Tehran's nuclear program.
