The United States’ military operation and Mexico’s drug war has thrown a wrench into FIFA’s plans.litary operation and Mexico’s drug war has thrown a wrench into FIFA’s plans.
You wonder what are the real thoughts of the president of the governing body of FIFA or world soccer, Gianni Infantino, and the former President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach. The United States was the goldmine that both sports organizations were seeking and both got their signature events in the United States. The United States is one of the hosts of soccer’s 2026 World Cup with its neighbors Canada and Mexico. The International Olympic Committee is putting its 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2034. But that was then. The United States is involved in military action against Iran in the Middle East, the Iranian World Cup Soccer team has qualified for the tournament and is supposed to play matches on June 16th and June 21st in Inglewood, California and June 27th in Seattle. It is extremely hard to imagine that an Iranian team would be allowed in the United States to compete in the soccer event.
When the United States, Canada and Mexico won the bid for the 2026 World Cup, the United States was not engaged in a military action with Iran and Mexico did not have a drug war in the streets. The World Cup begins in Mexico City on June 11th. Will there be a boycott of the 2028 Los Angeles Games or 2034 Salt Lake City Games?? Will the United States welcome athletes? The IOC and FIFA have the United States’ word that yes the athletes are welcome. If FIFA could award the 2026 event again, it might take a different host but FIFA is now stuck. FIFA has navigated through the Qatar Men’s World Cup and has awarded the 2034 Men’s World Cup to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. But this is a different set of circumstances, FIFA has an unprecedented problem with no clear solution.
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