The 2026 FIFA World Cup was once celebrated as a milestone: a three-country tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, joining together and energizing international viewership. But by summer 2025, the tournament is in a crisis of legitimacy. Former US President Donald Trump’s increasing personal relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino has created international outrage around corruption, political manipulation, and human rights abuses.
In March 2025, Trump issued an executive order to establish a White House Task Force for the World Cup. Infantino attended the ceremony, which took place at the Oval Office, and was attacked as a politically motivated show. While the project purported to be in support of tourism and economic growth, Trump’s presentation of the event as a way to “assert U.S. dominance” exposed its partisan basis.
“Tension is beneficial; it enhances the excitement,”
Trump said, referring to continued trade tensions with Mexico and Canada.
Infantino, meanwhile, stressed the estimated economic boon: $40 billion in revenue and 200,000 jobs. Missing were any mentions of human rights or FIFA’s past responsibilities.
FIFA Governance and Persistent Allegations
Infantino’s Divisive Leadership
Infantino’s recent actions have brought intensified scrutiny. He in May 2025 defaulted on a crucial FIFA Congress to tour with Trump through Qatar and Saudi Arabia—two countries often criticized as sportswashing. The movie saw a walkout of UEFA delegates, who condemned his “abuse of power for political gain.”
These changes are disturbingly familiar to past scandals in FIFA. The 2015 corruption scandal, which resulted in dozens of indictments, had lingering wounds. Infantino is now under investigation in Switzerland for abuse of office over his ties to the Swiss attorney general. Despite denying any wrongdoing, his political allegiances and travel habits call into question his impartiality.
Human Rights Watch’s Minky Worden criticized Infantino’s emphasis on autocratic alliances:
“We still don’t know what Infantino has achieved in terms of human rights.”
Impact on Fans and Participation
Travel Bans and Boycott Momentum
Trump’s new travel ban, issued in early 2025, has sparked concern. Although the ban provides limited exemptions for players and officials, supporters from banned countries—most notably Mexico—could be hindered from attending games in the United States. Uncertainties of enforcement could create confusion and tensions between governments.
A boycott movement is gaining momentum in response. Supporter groups and human rights groups demanded all matches be shifted to Canada and Mexico. Global hashtags calling for action have trended, giving vent to grievances.
Social media mockery has labeled Trump and Infantino as embodiments of greed and dictatorial tendencies. Unsubstantiated claims that Qatar presented Infantino with a $400 million private aircraft have only fueled the fire.
Economic Justifications vs Ethical Realities
Infantino is still driving the economic agenda. But opponents contend that fiscal projections do not justify moral compromise. Holding matches in nations that have bad human rights records brings into question the legitimacy of the tournament.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has publicly denounced Trump’s meddling. During a June 2025 address, Carney stated that Canada would “reconsider its cooperative roles” if political exploitation continued. This stance is a reflection of the intensifying strain on trilateral coordination.
Tourism patterns are already feeling the effects. Overseas arrivals fell 11.6% in March 2025 compared to last year, with heavy falls from Canada, Mexico, and Japan. This trend presents a very real danger to the tournament’s potential success.
Discord Among Football Authorities
UEFA’s response was unusually strong. Members have denounced Infantino for putting personal friendships ahead of FIFA’s institutional credibility. The gesture walkout during the FIFA Congress was an explicit act of defiance.
In the face of these threat warnings, both Infantino and Trump have continued to deny concerns. Where internal checks are absent, activists are resorting to economic pressure. Proliferating campaigns to encourage sponsors to withdraw support are gaining momentum.
Structural Risks to the Tournament
The scandal has hung a dark shadow over the 2026 World Cup. Organizers have the overwhelming challenge of regaining confidence, not only among supporters, but among national teams, sponsors, and worldwide institutions. The boycott campaign is no longer marginal; several national federations are said to be weighing alternative hosting options.
The political undertones threaten to make the World Cup a ground for disunion instead of unification. Delays in infrastructure, transit issues, and diplomatic conflicts could also discredit preparations.
The individual has addressed the issue in an interview to MSNBC, encapsulating the situation:
“The Trump-FIFA scandal exposes deep governance flaws and threatens to tarnish the 2026 World Cup’s legacy. The sport’s future depends on restoring trust and separating politics from football.”
Trump’s random immigration raids could ruin 2026 FIFA World Cup in U.S. | Opinion https://t.co/VPEnNAUEPG
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) July 2, 2025
Global Football at a Crossroads
Cultural Integrity vs Commercial Gain
For many years, the World Cup has represented unity among nations. However, in 2025, it represents a leadership crisis. Football’s greatest tournament is being drawn into a whirlpool of nationalism, of corruption, and of untrammeled ambition. The battle is more than venue geography; it reaches to the heart of the sport.
Demands for reforms in FIFA are mounting. Transparency in the decision-making, respect for human rights, and ethical administration have become the key demands. However, vested leadership and profit-oriented structures hinder progress.
Lessons from Other Sports
Other international sporting associations have also been through such crises. For example, following the scandals, the International Olympic Committee redesigned parts of its bid process. FIFA has yet to demonstrate genuine change, and its obstinacy could be costly.
Whether governments, federations, and fans can steer the course of the 2026 tournament is unclear. What is apparent is that patience among the public is running thin. The symbolic significance of the World Cup can no longer be demarcated from its political and ethical environments.
A Test for the Future of Football
The last year leading up to the tournament might decide more than simple logistics. It may decide whether the World Cup is a beloved sporting tradition or plunges into a disputed arena of political drama. How FIFA, national governments, and civil society act will determine not only the 2026 event, but the moral course of international football for decades to come.