Fifa President Gianni Infantino's recent performance as host of the inaugural 2026 World Cup draw has left fans underwhelmed and critics aghast. The event, which took place at the Trump-purged Kennedy Center in Washington DC, was marked by an abundance of unnecessary drama and crass commercialization.
Trump himself, who was awarded the first-ever Fifa peace prize, seemed unenthused about the whole affair, with one notable exception: when he had to don a medal around his neck courtesy of Infantino. The ceremony also featured a half-hearted rendition of Robbie Williams' song "Desire" and a series of awkward segments debating what to call the sport in America.
The main issue here, however, is not so much the quality of entertainment provided by Trump or Williams but rather Fifa's inexplicable decision to turn the World Cup into a blatant tool for American nationalism. The organization appears to have abandoned its usual values of inclusivity and global friendship in favor of catering to Trump's authoritarian tendencies.
One possible explanation for this shift is that Infantino has, perhaps unwittingly, become a loyal servant of Trumpworld. His management style, characterized by cringeworthy attempts at humor and an over-reliance on crowd work, suggests a desperate need for approval from the US president.
The consequences of Fifa's Faustian bargain will be far-reaching and unpleasant for fans around the world. The tournament is set to feature an abundance of unnecessary gimmicks, scheduling "innovations," and commercialization, all aimed at making a quick buck off American audiences. If this is indeed what Infantino has in store for us, then we can expect a World Cup that will be hostile, patronizing, unaffordable, excessively long, and morally repugnant.
Ultimately, it seems as though Fifa has become complicit in its own debasement, trading in the values of inclusivity and fair play for a lucrative deal with Trump's America. As such, the future of world football hangs precariously in the balance.
Trump himself, who was awarded the first-ever Fifa peace prize, seemed unenthused about the whole affair, with one notable exception: when he had to don a medal around his neck courtesy of Infantino. The ceremony also featured a half-hearted rendition of Robbie Williams' song "Desire" and a series of awkward segments debating what to call the sport in America.
The main issue here, however, is not so much the quality of entertainment provided by Trump or Williams but rather Fifa's inexplicable decision to turn the World Cup into a blatant tool for American nationalism. The organization appears to have abandoned its usual values of inclusivity and global friendship in favor of catering to Trump's authoritarian tendencies.
One possible explanation for this shift is that Infantino has, perhaps unwittingly, become a loyal servant of Trumpworld. His management style, characterized by cringeworthy attempts at humor and an over-reliance on crowd work, suggests a desperate need for approval from the US president.
The consequences of Fifa's Faustian bargain will be far-reaching and unpleasant for fans around the world. The tournament is set to feature an abundance of unnecessary gimmicks, scheduling "innovations," and commercialization, all aimed at making a quick buck off American audiences. If this is indeed what Infantino has in store for us, then we can expect a World Cup that will be hostile, patronizing, unaffordable, excessively long, and morally repugnant.
Ultimately, it seems as though Fifa has become complicit in its own debasement, trading in the values of inclusivity and fair play for a lucrative deal with Trump's America. As such, the future of world football hangs precariously in the balance.
it was so cringeworthy lol trump was literally sitting there looking all bored and infantino was trying to make him look cool but like it fell flat hard 
and can we talk about the music tho? robbie williams singing in front of a crowd of americans is just so awkward 
i mean what's next they're gonna have a segment on american football or something 
and yeah fifa did that whole trump nationalism thing and it was super off-putting to me 
like why r u doing this infantino? 
we all know how much trump hates inclusivity so i guess fifa just sold out 
anyway can't wait for the world cup but not if it's gonna be as cringey as that 
It's like they're trying to alienate fans from other countries and turn the beautiful game into some kind of patriotic parade. 
And what's with the Trump connection? I know he's got a lot of... um, "character" 
, but can't we just leave sports alone? 
The whole thing feels like a bunch of awkward commercialism and unnecessary drama 
. Come on, FIFA, get back to what you do best: football, not politics! 
this whole thing just feels so awkward and cringeworthy 
infantino comes off as super forced and unauthentic trying to be funny or connect with the crowd 
and meanwhile trump is just sitting there looking all smug and entitled 