Ten years after the dramatic 2015 FIFA corruption scandal, sparked by a US Department of Justice investigation, American policy is once again casting a shadow over the world of football, this time concerning the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The United States, having been controversially denied the 2022 World Cup but later awarded the 2026 tournament alongside Canada and Mexico, now finds itself in a complex situation. The issue at hand is President Donald Trump's executive orders implementing travel bans from several countries, citing national security risks.
This policy has put FIFA, the global governing body of football, back under intense scrutiny. The concern within FIFA is reportedly that if nations on the US travel ban list were to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, it would present a significant logistical and political nightmare, directly clashing with FIFA's mandate for universal participation.
There is a palpable nervousness within FIFA to even publicly discuss the possibility of moving the entire tournament to co-hosts Canada or Mexico. The spectra of the 2015 investigation looms large, with speculation that any move seen as directly challenging US policy could once again draw the unwanted attention of the US Department of Justice towards FIFA's operations.
The situation presents a delicate diplomatic and operational tightrope for FIFA, as it navigates the complexities of a host nation's domestic policies and its own commitment to an inclusive global tournament. The resolution of this issue will be keenly watched by football federations and fans worldwide.
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