WHAT A MAROON
Clarissa-Jan Lim
Sat, March 8, 2025
Donald Trump speaks alongside President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino after unveiling the 2025 Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office on March 7, 2025.
President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again trade war with Canada and Mexico could create a politically awkward situation (to say the least) with the United States’ neighbors when the three countries co-host the FIFA World Cup next year. But Trump suggested that worsening relations between them could make the world’s biggest sporting event “much more exciting.”
“I think it’s going to make it more exciting,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Friday when asked about sharing hosting duties with Canada and Mexico, two of the United States’ largest trading partners, against whom he has repeatedly threatened tariffs.
“Tension is a good thing,” Trump added. “It makes it much more exciting.”
The president was joined at the White House by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to announce the creation of a task force on the international soccer tournament, which Trump will chair.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by three countries for the first time in the event’s history. Preparations for the games are expected to be a monumental coordination effort among the host countries.
“It’s a great honor for our country to have it. Actually, it’s a big deal,” Trump said, adding that he’d like to attend several matches.
Trump’s tariffs are expected to have a significant effect on U.S. consumers and businesses. And although his 2024 election win was in part buoyed by his promise to ease the cost of living crisis, Trump and his allies have been suggesting that Americans should expect some short-term economic pain ahead.
Trump’s return to the White House has increased geopolitical tensions, as he’s enacted sweeping changes to the United States’ international military and economic policies and upended decadeslong relationships with several close allies. Tensions between the U.S. and Canada, in particular, have manifested at recent sporting events, with Canadian fans booing the American national anthem at professional games after Trump suggested that Canada allow itself to be annexed.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Soccer-Trump says U.S. trade tensions with Mexico, Canada will make World Cup more exciting
Reuters
Sat, March 8, 2025
(Reuters) - Political and economic tensions between the United States and its 2026 World Cup co-hosts Canada and Mexico will make the tournament more exciting, U.S. President Donald Trump said after signing an executive order to create a task force for the event.
Speaking in the Oval Office alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Trump said the task force, which he will chair, would co-ordinate with federal agencies in planning, organising and executing the 48-team global soccer tournament.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration imposed across-the-board 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico before announcing on Thursday a one-month reprieve for both countries on goods compliant under a North American trade pact.
When asked about the World Cup in light of the current trade tensions between the three nations, Trump said on Friday, "I think it's going to make it more exciting."
"Tension is a good thing, it makes it much more exciting."
The exemptions for the two largest U.S. trading partners, expire on April 2, when Trump has threatened to impose a global regime of reciprocal tariffs on all U.S. trading partners.
The World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The expanded tournament will feature 104 matches instead of the previous 64 games, including an additional knockout round.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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