Trump back in World Cup spotlight after starring role in tournament’s controversies
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said that Trump will sit next to him at the final between Argentina and Spain at the New York/New Jersey Stadium and will be ready to present the trophy to the winners, as in last year’s Club World Cup.
Trump’s appearance comes just days after he confirmed he had asked Infantino to review the red card given to US striker Folarin Balogun, sending the tournament into a firestorm of debate over fairness and refereeing.
Trump and Infantino heaped praise on each other Friday at a reception at Trump Tower in Manhattan following the tournament, where FIFA opened an office last year and had record attendance for its biggest tournament to date.
“This World Cup would not have been as successful without you,” Infantino told Trump before a crowd of about 300 people, including Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo, FIFA officials and other dignitaries.
Trump, who regularly hosts Infantino in the Oval Office of the White House, said: “It turns out we are a football country.”
The pair stood firmly by each other’s side in a series of controversies before and during the tournament co-hosted by Canada and Mexico, with FIFA insisting Trump played no role in suspending Balogun’s red card ban. A year after the tournament ended, US cities face serious questions about how to reassure international fans concerned about Trump’s crackdown on immigration and travel bans on several countries.
Months later, Trump threatened to move the games from Democratic-controlled cities. FIFA said the relocation would not be at its discretion.
On Friday, Trump suggested the United States take another step toward hosting the tournament, but “this time we’ll leave out Mexico and Canada.”
‘NO NEUTRAL OPINION’
Trump has frequently sought sports’ megawatt spotlight over the past 18 months as his approval rating continues to slide in his second term.
He reached his target audience at last year’s Ryder Cup, where he was greeted with cheers from American fans on New York’s Long Island.
Trump’s reception was mixed elsewhere.
He was loudly booed at Game 3 of the NBA Finals last month, enraging fans who stayed out because of presidential security measures long after the start of last year’s U.S. Open men’s tennis final in Flushing Meadows.
Trump’s emergence creates unique challenges for US broadcaster Fox Sports, which uses world streaming for match coverage, as it predicts the emergence of one of the most polarizing figures in US political history.
“We’re getting this world broadcast. So we’re not in control of the pictures. And whether or not there’s a cut during the game of President Trump sitting next to Gianni Infantino, whoever else it may be, that’s not our choice one way or the other,” play-by-play announcer John Strong said.
“We don’t know when it will arrive.”
FIFA officially awarded the tournament to host Canada, Mexico and the United States during Trump’s first term in 2018; It was a source of pride for the Republican, who often boasted of bringing the global spectacle.
“There is no neutral opinion when it comes to President Trump,” Strong said. “There’s a lot of people in the audience who are very excited to see him in the game. And there’s going to be a lot of people in the audience who are less excited to see him on their television screens.”
