In the next four years, Donald Trump will have to preside over a divided country facing significant challenges, especially in economic and immigration matters. Additionally, during his second term in the United States, the two most important sporting events on the planet will take place: the 2026 World Cup and the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles 2028.
While in the case of the World Cup, Canada and Mexico will also be hosts, 78 out of the 104 matches will be played in the United States.
Both bids were awarded during Trump's first term and a few weeks ago, when he was still a candidate, the president-elect said, "The World Cup and the Olympics, I was responsible for getting both, in fact," on his friend Bill Belichick's podcast, the coach who won six Super Bowls with the Patriots in the NFL.
The tradition for the head of state of a host nation is to present the trophy at the World Cup final (which will be played in New York) and formally inaugurate the Summer Olympics, but beyond that, the federal government has little influence, given the extensive sports infrastructure of the United States. Investments will be low and the organization will be in the hands of private institutions.
However, both events can be an opportunity to showcase the changing reality of the United States in social issues, integration, and multiculturalism, areas where Trump tends to have controversial positions.
In addition to this, the president-elect's relationship with soccer and the Olympics is not the same.
Trump and Infantino have a good relationship
FIFA president Gianni Infantino used his Instagram account to congratulate Trump even before the media declared the Republican as the winner on Wednesday, November 6th in the early hours.
Trump called Infantino "my great friend" at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2020 and during the recent tournament for the new Club World Cup, which will also take place in the United States, the Republican said in a video that "they are led by a man named Gianni, I only know him as Gianni (Infantino), he is a winner, he is the president, and I am also president, and we have known each other for a long time."
That good relationship between FIFA and Trump can be very useful, for example, to solve the diplomatic challenge of Iran's almost certain qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Why is Trump's relationship with the Olympics tense?
In contrast to Trump's kind words for Infantino in Davos in 2020, there was no such public warmth with the Olympic leader, German Thomas Bach.
The Olympic Committee also did not congratulate the Republican for his recent presidential victory, citing the neutrality of the institution and the movement.
Trump and Bach met once at the White House just over seven years ago, a meeting that has become part of Olympic legend for how poorly it went, as was later revealed. "Pray for our world," Bach was heard saying in a phone call that day in Washington.
This year, the Republican was among the people who falsely labeled two Olympic champion boxers as men and promised to "keep men out of women's sports", even though Bach's IOC has repeatedly supported the athletes and debunked the fake news.
Additionally, Trump also called the representation of "The Last Supper," the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, during the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, "a disgrace."
Ronald Reagan in Los Angeles 1984, Bill Clinton in Atlanta 1996, and George W. Bush in Salt Lake City 2002 attended the opening ceremonies as Presidents of the United States for the Winter Olympics, and it is expected that Trump will do the same in 2028, although Bach will not be by his side as he will leave the helm of the IOC in 2025.
Among the candidates who are emerging as strong contenders to preside over the International Olympic Committee are the British Sebastian Coe and the Spanish Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs, son of the former president of the Olympic movement for 21 years.