President Trump eases border policies in preparation for the World Cup.

US President Donald Trump at the White House on March 28. Photo: THX/VNA

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced on its Facebook account in early June that its officers would be present at FIFA Club World Cup 2025 matches taking place in July.

Alex Lasry, CEO of the New York-New Jersey 2026 World Cup bid committee, was surprised to read the announcement. He feared it could have a detrimental impact on the number of fans following the tournament.

The Trump administration's immigration policies also garnered attention that week. Thousands of Marines and National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles – a hotspot for protests against the Trump administration's immigration policies.

Mr. Lasry proactively contacted the White House to express his concerns about the CBP post. The head of the president's FIFA World Cup 2026 task force, Andrew Giuliani, reassured Mr. Lasry that the Department of Homeland Security would only have a routine presence at the FIFA Club World Cup. Giuliani also encouraged Mr. Lasry to calm worried fans. The CBP post was subsequently deleted.

The preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, reflected a different side of the Trump administration.

The White House welcomes foreign fans and maintains harmonious relations with neighboring countries, cooperating closely with many international organizations. This is an exception to the "America First" policy.

According to Politico, President Trump used to own an American football club, and therefore, he has long been fascinated by the glamour of sports competitions.

Alan Rothenberg, who worked with the administration of former President Bill Clinton and was the architect of the 1994 US World Cup, commented: "As we all know, President Trump loves attention. What could be more attention-grabbing than the prospect of billions of people watching you kick off the opening match and present the World Cup trophy?"

During his first term, Trump worked to bring the World Cup and the Olympics back to the United States, for the first time in decades. Now, in his second term, he has seized the opportunity.

But that would require the Trump administration to coordinate complex logistical events and rely on global cooperation and the free movement of international fans. This is in stark contrast to President Trump's "America First" agenda.

When the White House issued a travel ban in June on citizens of 19 countries, President Trump made specific exceptions for athletes, coaches, and support staff involved in the World Cup, Olympics, and other major sporting events.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks in Miami, USA. Photo: THX/VNA

While US leader Trump frequently ignored the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the World Health Organization (WHO), he did meet the requirements of the International Football Federation (FIFA). FIFA President Gianni Infantino was repeatedly welcomed and photographed in the Oval Office.

Giuliani himself has personally visited or worked with all 11 host cities for the 2026 World Cup in the US – mostly in Democratic-led areas. While President Trump has threatened to cut federal funding to some of these cities, his revised budget proposal envisages allocating funds to many of them to cover World Cup security costs.

Trump's campaign strategist, Alex Bruesewitz, analyzed: "For hundreds of years, sport has been a bridge connecting nations. And the president greatly respects that."

In March, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the FIFA World Cup Task Force, which includes Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This task force has become a key coordinating hub for a far-reaching, largely behind-the-scenes operation involving the White House, federal departments and agencies, foreign governments, and diplomatic staff at embassies worldwide. Many U.S. embassies abroad have already faced lengthy backlogs of visa applicants, but now they must process paperwork for 6.5 million fans expected to travel to the U.S., Mexico, and Canada next summer for the tournament featuring the world's leading national soccer teams.

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