October 3 – The Oval Office is a news-producing factory, with U.S. President Donald Trump leading the charge in pushing policy and strategy, however, he has been reminded that when it comes to the World Cup, the final word belongs not to Washington, but to FIFA.
Trump caused palpitations at FIFA HQ when he suggested he could declare host cities “not safe” and shift matches away from the carefully crafted 2026 plan ratified by FIFA two years ago.
It was a startling claim, considering the tournament schedule involves meticulous planning and huge expense with stadiums, training centres, and hotels already under contract.
FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani, never one to be cowed, said: “It’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions.”
The Canadian, who also serves as president of Concacaf, added, “With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans. That’s the beauty of our game, is that it is bigger than any individual and bigger than any country.”
Montagliani’s words carry some serious punch and weight and are a reminder that football doesn’t time itself to a four-year government electoral cycle or an individual politician’s whims.
Yet the reality isn’t that simple. FIFA may own the tournament, but it relies on host governments for billions in security, logistics, and visa infrastructure. FIFA may try to dictate, but at the end of the day, the United States holds the keys to enforcement on the ground.
This is where Trump’s bromance with FIFA president Gianni Infantino muddies the waters. The two men have enjoyed a flowery relationship with Infantino a regular guest at the White House, but whether Infantino has the sway to pull rank on Trump remains very much up for doubt.
FIFA frequently trots out the well-worn mores that its empire is built on the idea that football transcends politics, borders, and personalities. But Infantino’s decision to cozy up to Trump and bring the World Cup into the political mainstream has turned the World Cup the proverbial political football in its own right. More so than even the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
In Trump’s case threatening to relocate matches might sound like hubris but this is a US president who has no issue using any tool at his disposal to make his point, and if there are sanctuary cities that he feels he needs to send a message to, then the World Cup would be a sit-up-and-listen one.
not the power of the World Cup is far bigger than any president.
As Montagliani so aptly put it, football has always been bigger than slogans. FIFA will be desperately hoping that 2026 isn’t the tournament that tests whether the World Cup in reality is bigger and more important than a US president.
As for Infantino political choices for FIFA. Sometimes you need to be careful who you invite to dinner, you don’t want them taking over your house.
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