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Culture February 28, 2017
President Donald Trump and his beloved immigration ban could cost the United States the opportunity to act as host for the 2026 World Cup.
Aleksander Ceferin, the president of UEFA, soccer’s governing body in Europe, said as much in an interview at UEFA headquarters. Though Trump’s initial ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries was overturned by an appeals court, Ceferin said it would “not help” the U.S.’s bid if the president succeeds in placing new restrictions.
“If players cannot come because of political decisions or populist decisions, then the World Cup cannot be played there… It is the same for the fans, and the journalists, of course. It is the World Cup. They should be able to attend the event, whatever their nationality is,” he said.
And Ceferin’s warning certainly carries some weight, as in addition to being a top soccer official in Europe, he is also a vice president of FIFA, the organizer of the World Cup.
Seeing as Iran has played in the World Cup three times since 1998 – and Iraq and Syria have joined Iran in the later rounds of competition to qualify for next year’s tournament in Russia – it stands to reason that FIFA would probably be hesitant in selecting a World Cup locale that would be unwelcoming to them.
RELATED: Even Children Are Protesting Trump’s Immigration Policies
The United States had previously been thought of as the clear choice as host for the 2026 World Cup, either on its own or as part of a joint North American bid with Mexico and Canada. But Trump’s travel ban – which he has said he will continue to pursue despite the appeals court’s decision – could now threaten those chances.
As of yet, no decisions have been made. The 2026 World Cup host will be determined officially by FIFA at a congress in May 2020. Here’s hoping Trump doesn’t screw this up.
