What Does Soccer Have to Do with Trump?

Mingling sports and politics has become a controversial subject – ever since left-wing athletes have taken to disrespecting the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. Most fans view sports as a physical exhibition – pitting one group of “gladiators” against another. It is pure entertainment in which folks of different backgrounds and political views find common cause — cheering their favorite team or giving the Bronx Cheer to the other side.

Though not conceived as such, it provided an escape from politics –at least it used to. Unfortunately, sports events became platforms for political expression by athletes on and off the field—much like Hollywood celebrity has provided a sense of personal entitlement.

Athletes used disrespect for America’s iconic symbols as expressions of their narrow viewpoints on controversial political, social and cultural issues. The situation worsened with the introduction of the absurdity of biological males competing in women’s sports.

Now … the tendency to politicize sports has now come to soccer and the World Cup. Why? Because it is an event to be hosted by the United States, a nation currently led by … President Trump – the left’s latest Antichrist.

And now, as if on cue, the political class and a few ex‑FIFA grandees have decided that the 2026 World Cup must be the next battlefield in their never‑ending culture war. Apparently, the world’s most popular sport cannot simply be played on grass anymore. No, it must be played on a stage, with politicians and retired bureaucrats elbowing their way into the spotlight like understudies desperate for a role in a play no one asked them to join and no one wants to see.

The latest round of outrage comes from a handful of former FIFA officials and a chorus of politicians who have called for a boycott of the World Cup in America. Their reasoning? They do not like the current occupant of the White House. That’s it. Not the stadiums, not the infrastructure, not the logistics. Just the person the people of America chose as their President. Those same people who lecture endlessly about “democracy” now want to punish a nation because its voters selected the wrong person in their judgment.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter—never one to miss an opportunity to moralize from the safety of retirement—chimed in with his own pearl of wisdom. “It is not appropriate,” he declared, “for a nation with such political tensions to host a unifying global event.” This from the man who presided over FIFA during enough scandals to fill a multi‑season Netflix series. If irony were an Olympic sport, Blatter would be undefeated.

Then there’s Swiss attorney Mark Pieth, who has made a career out of critiquing FIFA’s ethics, which is a bit like critiquing the nutritional value of cotton candy. Pieth offered this helpful advice to fans: “If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans. Stay away from the USA! You’ll see it better on TV anyway.”

Ah yes, the classic “do not visit America, it’s scary” routine. It’s become a favorite among left-wing European elites who have apparently convinced themselves that the United States is a cross between a Mad Max wasteland and a Trump campaign rally. The fact that tens of millions of tourists visit every year without incident seems to have escaped their notice.

Of course, the political left in Europe and the United States eagerly seized on these comments. A few American politicians—mostly the usual suspects who oppose anything that might put America in a good light—have echoed the boycott calls. One senator even suggested that “international sporting events should only be held in nations that reflect global progressive values.” Translation: only in places where the left wins elections.

World leaders have also joined the chorus. A European prime minister, whose own country cannot fill a stadium without subsidizing ticket sales, warned that “the global community must consider the message it sends by participating.” Another leader, whose nation has its own share of political turmoil, solemnly declared that “sports cannot be separated from moral responsibility.” These are the same leaders who had no problem sending teams to Qatar, China, or Russia when it suited them.

But let us be clear. This entire boycott movement is not about morality, democracy, or human rights. It’s about politics—specifically, the politics of resentment and resistance. The left cannot stand the idea of a successful, peaceful, celebratory global event taking place under President Trump’s watch. They fear that if the World Cup goes well, it might undermine their narrative that America is on the brink of collapse. And so, they would rather sabotage the event than allow millions of fans and athletes enjoy it.

The real tragedy here is not the political theater—it’s the athletes. These men and women have spent their entire lives preparing for this moment. They have trained through injuries, sacrificed personal lives, endured grueling schedules, and pushed their bodies to the limit. For many, a World Cup appearance is the pinnacle of their careers. Some will only get one chance. And now, politicians who could not run a mile without calling for a press conference want to take that away from them.

Imagine telling a 23‑year‑old striker who has dreamed of this moment since childhood that he will not be allowed to compete because a retired FIFA official does not like the United States’ President. Imagine telling a goalkeeper who has spent a decade climbing the ranks that her dream must be sacrificed on the altar of political symbolism. It’s not just absurd. It is cruel.

Conversely, the athletes just respect their sprots, their fans, and the nations that sponsor them. The playing field is not the place for personal political grandstanding.

Sports were once the great unifier. The field was the one place where ideology did not matter. Fans of every background could sit side by side, cheering for the same goal, the same victory, the same moment of brilliance. But the left has decided that nothing, not even sports, can be allowed to exist outside the realm of political struggle. Everything must be a statement. Everything must be a protest. Everything must be a referendum on their worldview.

The World Cup should be a celebration of athletic excellence, national pride, and global camaraderie. Instead, it risks becoming yet another casualty of political opportunism. And for what? To score a few headlines? To virtue‑signal on the international stage? To punish a nation for electing a President the radical left despises?

If there is any justice, fans will ignore the boycotters, athletes will take the field, and the games will go on successfully (as I believe will be the case). The world deserves a World Cup free from political tantrums. And the athletes—above all—deserve the chance to live their dreams, not watch them be sacrificed to someone else’s narrow ideology.

So, there ‘tis.