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.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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