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The Americanization of the World Cup Is Here to Stay

By
Dave Braneck

Unwarranted ad breaks, entry bans on some foreign nationals, and political tampering with the game all made this a Trumpian World Cup. But if Donald Trump put his stamp on the world’s game, it’s also set a precedent for future FIFA-organized tournaments.

Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and Gianni Infantino react during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at the Kennedy Center on December 5, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Football has become a commercial product distant from its working-class roots. But the era of Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino has done something more, as FIFA’s rampant corruption undermines the sporting integrity of the game itself. (Mandel Ngan / Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

The 2026 World Cup had three host countries, but it will always be remembered as an American event. And like most American things in the last decade, Donald Trump made much of it about himself. Bombing a participating nation, loudly bragging about corrupting the game, cramming himself into the final. . . .  even if Trump had a couple uncharacteristic spells out of the limelight, his makeup-caked hands were all over this World Cup.

And though the record attendances (and, more importantly for organizer FIFA, revenue), thrilling footballing highlights, and viral fan moments demonstrate that this World Cup wasn’t a total bust, something has felt off about it. We saw sickening ticket prices and the related tame atmospheres; a limited number of fans able to travel from abroad; and rampant commercialism, jarring even for an organization as soulless and corporate as FIFA. The worst elements of this World Cup have been its most Trumpian.

The United States has put its stamp on the world’s game, and we’re all worse off for it. Football’s long-creeping Americanization has been cemented by this tournament, combining both ruthless financialization and rampant corruption that directly affected play like never before. Sadly, all of this will outlive Trump and the United States’ hosting of the World Cup.

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