President Donald Trump had some unusual guests at the White House this week: players and staff members of the Italian soccer team Juventus, in town for their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup. After a reporter asked Trump whether his travel ban on nationals from 19 countries would affect the ongoing tournament or next year’s World Cup, Trump turned to another guest in the room: FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Gianni, tell me what the travel ban is. He doesn’t know what it is,” Trump said. “He’s largely sold out.”
By “sold out,” Trump was referring to the Club World Cup. In fact, ticket prices plunged in the run-up to the tournament, and thousands of seats have gone unsold. If anything, the sentiment better applies to Infantino himself, who attended the presidential inauguration, joined Trump on his trip to Qatar and more generally has palled around with the president for years. With less than a year to go before the World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, Trump has turned soccer into a political battleground.
Being from Los Angeles, everything we do, everything we play, everything we eat, this is a city of immigrants.”
— Angel City FC captain Ali Riley
In addition to the president’s very public bromance with Infantino, Customs and Border Protection posted and then deleted a message saying its agents would be “suited and booted” for games of this year’s Club World Cup. ICE told NBC Miami last week that noncitizens should carry their immigration papers with them to games. Last month, an ICE operation prompted Latino supporters of Major League Soccer club Nashville SC to suspend their gameday events, fearing raids.
But soccer has also been a hub of resistance to Trump’s worst actions.
During the Nashville raids, supporters at the Nashville SC game last month unfurled banners in both English and Spanish saying, “We are not all here.” The usually rowdy supporters section for Los Angeles FC protested ICE raids in the city by staying mostly silent, holding up banners saying “immigrants are the heartbeat of Los Angeles” and “Abolish ICE.”
Over in the National Women’s Soccer League, the players themselves have been vocal, as well. Last weekend, Los Angeles’ team, Angel City FC, handed out shirts to fans with “Immigrant City Football Club” on the front and “Los Angeles is for everyone” in English and Spanish on the back. Players, coaches and team staff members all wore the shirts pregame.
“My mom’s parents came here from China, and it wasn’t easy for them. They had to find a way to make a life here. My dad is first-generation American,” Angel City captain Ali Riley said postgame. “Being from Los Angeles, everything we do, everything we play, everything we eat, this is a city of immigrants.”
In Portland, Oregon, just hours after federal officers launched tear gas and smoke bombs at people protesting ICE actions, Portland Thorns player Reilyn Turner spoke out after Sunday’s game.
“I feel like family’s such a big thing to look back on and play for, especially what’s going on right now — people being stripped from their families,” Turner said.
While Republicans fearmonger about drag performances, NWSL teams have frequently incorporated drag into their Pride events.
Immigration is not the only issue in which where soccer has been a battleground. The Athletic reported Monday that FIFA scrapped its use of anti-racism and anti-discrimination slogans for Club World Cup events in the United States. The decision (and FIFA’s rationale that it was merely staying politically neutral) echoed its ban on players’ wearing rainbow items at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because of the government’s harsh anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
But U.S. teams and fans are rejecting FIFA’s cowardice and are standing against racism and homophobia. MLS has designated June as its pride month every year since 2016. The NWSL has made Juneteenth a league holiday, with more than half of all clubs hosting Juneteenth theme nights at home games, and all NWSL teams observe Pride nights. While Republicans fearmonger about drag performances, NWSL teams have frequently incorporated drag into their Pride events. Bay FC, based in Northern California, featured a pregame performance at its Pride game this month by two San Francisco drag queens, Silvanna Danniels and Cassie Brown, both Mexican immigrants. “My dad used to be a huge soccer fan, and I was always being pushed to play at school or at home to play soccer and I never liked it. I don’t like it,” Danniels said in an interview with MSNBC. “But having the opportunity to share what I’m really passionate about in this scenario, in this environment, it’s definitely like a dream come true.” Brown said she plays soccer and that for her, she appreciated the chance to blend soccer and LGBTQ+ culture. “I grew up with all the soccer things in Mexico, which is huge and like a very masculine thing. You have to be straight to play soccer, and there’s no room for us there,” Brown said. “But we’re here, we’re changing that. We’re fighting against that. And we have results. We have all this crowd supporting us, enjoying our shows.” Seeing soccer crowds cheer drag queens, wave LGBTQ+ Pride flags and chant “abolish ICE” is a reminder that Americans have a space where they organize and make their voices heard. While usually that comes in the form of wearing the same jersey or rooting for the same team, the Trump administration’s push to tie soccer’s premier tournament to its own fortunes has pushed soccer fans and players alike to take stands for what’s morally right. Trump may be politicizing the sport, but he may not like the outcome. By “sold out,” Trump was referring to the Club World Cup. In fact, ticket prices plunged in the run-up to the tournament, and thousands of seats have gone unsold. If anything, the sentiment better applies to Infantino himself, who attended the presidential inauguration, joined Trump on his trip to Qatar and more generally has palled around with the president for years. With less than a year to go before the World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, Trump has turned soccer into a political battleground.
Roey Hadar
Roey Hadar is a producer for MSNBC, working on “The Briefing with Jen Psaki” and “The Rachel Maddow Show.” 
