American soccer fans have suffered many indignities over the years: waking up before dawn to watch games overseas, enduring the men’s national team’s failures and listening to Alexi Lalas on television broadcasts.
But this year’s FIFA World Cup was supposed to make up for all that.
More than 1 billion people watch the World Cup final, making it the biggest event in sports. It is a global celebration. And in 2026, that celebration was finally supposed to be coming to our backyard.
Then President Donald Trump got involved.
Through a mix of manufactured crises and an apparent desire to make every major event revolve around him, Trump managed to turn the World Cup into a fiasco. It’s the biggest disappointment for American soccer fans since the men’s team failed to qualify in 2018 by losing to Trinidad and Tobago.
The trouble began in June 2025, when the Trump administration imposed travel restrictions on multiple countries, signaling to fans that the United States might not be a friendly place to visit. From there, longer lines at airport security, a Department of Homeland Security shutdown, threats to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to the World Cup, an explicit threat to pull customs officers from airports in some host cities and visa restrictions and denials to some teams all played a part in hurting the tournament.
The World Cup was supposed to be a melting pot of global soccer lovers, drawing visitors from all 48 of the participating countries. But fans from four countries whose teams are in the World Cup — Haiti, Ivory Coast, Iran and Senegal — won’t be allowed in thanks to Trump’s refusal to even temporarily suspend those countries’ travel bans.
One of the tournament’s top referees – Omar Artan – said he was denied entry to the U.S. and held by Customs and Border Protection for 11 hours. The Trump administration said CBP denied him for ties to “suspected members of terror organizations,” but Artan already had a valid visa issued by the State Department.
Iran, currently facing attacks from the U.S. military in a war that Trump entered with no congressional approval and little public support, is set to participate in the World Cup. But even a week from kickoff, the team was still struggling to get visas to let its players get to their matches, forcing it to relocate its base to Mexico.
Even players for ostensible U.S. allies are struggling to get in. Switzerland’s star striker, Breel Embolo, one of the team’s most recognizable players, faced a temporary block on his travel authorization as the U.S. looked into a conviction he had for his role in a fight in 2018.
And the problems are not limited to other countries. American fans hoping to enjoy the matches also have run into corporate greed.
Ticket prices have become so bad that New York and New Jersey’s attorneys general are investigating FIFA for its ticket practices. Asked about similarly high four-figure ticket prices for the NBA Finals, which he attended on taxpayers’ dime, Trump was blasé.
“They can watch it on television. It’s semi-free to watch it on television,” he said. “But that’s the way life goes.”
And for those fans willing to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a ticket, Trump’s attacks on public transit subsidies and his chummy relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino mean fans will not have an ally in their corner to fight for increasingly awful game-day experiences.
NJ Transit’s decision to put the cost of travel entirely on soccer fans means matches in the New York area could cost close to $100 for round-trip transportation that would normally be less than $15.
For fans who have the money for the tickets and transit, Trump could theoretically be leaning on FIFA to rein in its practices seemingly meant to nickel-and-dime customers. Last week, FIFA reversed course and banned fans from bringing water bottles into stadiums despite many matches being played in temperatures above 80 degrees. The organization also plans to ban tailgating at venues.
But soccer fans will tell you that even if they have qualms about the leadership of a host country, they can still enjoy the game.
The 2018 World Cup in Russia held under the iron fist of President Vladimir Putin did not stop fans from appreciating the ascendance of France’s breakout star, Kylian Mbappé.
Despite the horrors of the construction of facilities and the repression of support for LGBTQ rights at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, there was still space to appreciate Lionel Messi finally lifting his first FIFA World Cup trophy for Argentina.
The difference in 2026 is the disruptions are not happening in the background. They are shaping who can attend, how fans travel, what they pay and, in some cases, whether teams can fully participate at all.
The World Cup was supposed to be a celebration of soccer’s ability to bring the world together. Instead, the Trump administration has turned it into a reminder of how quickly politics, bureaucracy and self-inflicted chaos can diminish even the world’s biggest sporting event.
This is a preview of MS NOW’s Project 47 Newsletter. As President Trump continues implementing his ambitious agenda, get expert analysis on the administration’s latest actions and how others are pushing back sent straight to your inbox every Tuesday. Sign up now.
Roey Hadar is a producer for MS NOW, working on “The Briefing with Jen Psaki” and “The Rachel Maddow Show.”