The political and economic tensions between the United States and its Coanfitations of the 2026 World Cup, Canada and Mexico, will make the tournament more exciting, said President Donald Trump, after signing an executive order to create a working group for the event.
President Donald Trump met Friday with FIFA Leader Gianni Infantino and created a working group in order to prepare the country to be coanfrerion of the 2026 World Cup.
The headquarters will be shared by the three countries of North America, at a time when their relations have tightened for tariffs imposed by Trump intermittently.
“I think it will make it more exciting,” Trump said about the celebration of the World Cup amid the rhetoric between the leaders of the host nations. “The tension is a good thing.”
Earl this week, the Administration Trump imposed 25 % generalized tariffs on products from Canada and Mexicobefore announcing on Thursday an extension of one month for both countries on the goods that meet the commercial pact of North America.
The working group, which will be chaired by Trump, will coordinate the security and planning of the federal government for the tournament, which is expected to attract millions of tourists to the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“It is a great honor for our country to receive this,” Trump said about the World Cup after meeting with Infantino and other FIFA leaders. He said he would like to attend several games.
The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The expanded tournament will have 104 games instead of the previous 64, including an additional rounding round.
By 2026, the World Cup will expand to 48 teams that will play 104 games in three nations. It will be the first time that the tournament will be divided between countries.
Seventy -eight of the 104 games will be played in the United States, 13 in Mexico and 13 in Canada, and there will be up to six games a day. The final will be played on July 19 at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey.
Infantino, he said that the working group will make sure that each of the visitors who will travel from all over the world “feels safe, feel happy and feel that we are doing something special.”
“So we are here to create and make the best show on the planet,” said Infantino.
The president of the FIFA gave Trump a personalized ball and presented an elaborate trophy that will be delivered to the winner of the Club World Cup that will be held this year in the United States.
Infantino compared the production of the World Cup with the celebration of three Super Bowls daily for a month, an amazing security and logistics challenge for the host governments.
The Trump administration will face a second test on the global sports scene in 2028, when the Olympic Games in Los Angeles are held.
(With information from The Associated Press and Reuters)