One Thing: How Trump is Using the World Cup to Further His Goals
Nov 30, 2025•19 min
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Summary
The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada is shadowed by former President Trump's direct political involvement, including threats to move games from cities that don't align with his policies. International fans face significant logistical and financial hurdles, from navigating complex visa processes and expedited appointments to confronting steep ticket prices and extensive travel within the host countries. Furthermore, a climate of increased immigration scrutiny and high-profile detention cases raises serious concerns among potential attendees about their safety and freedom of expression.Episode description
The eyes of the international soccer world will be on North America next summer when the FIFA World Cup comes to the US, Mexico and Canada. President Donald Trump has been intimately involved with the planning – going so far as to threaten to move games from cities that don’t cooperate with his policies. Ahead of the tournament draw, we examine what’s behind Trump’s fascination with the tournament and whether international fans will want to come amid stories of detention and deportation.
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Guest: Don Riddell, CNN World Sport Anchor and Correspondent
Host: David Rind
Producer: Paola Ortiz
Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin
Editorial Support: Kyle Feldscher, Jennifer Bernstein
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