US actions in Venezuela put the 2026 World Cup in disgraceful company | Leander Schaerlaeckens

The 2026 World Cup in the US will be tainted by the country's own history of human rights abuses and authoritarianism, with its hosting rights sparking outrage over Venezuela's president being abducted and Trump labeling it an "American territory." This development has put the tournament in disreputable company alongside World Cups hosted by Italy under Benito Mussolini, Argentina under Jorge Videla's military junta, and Russia under Vladimir Putin.

The US government has a history of disregarding international law and democracy, with actions including annexing Crimea from Ukraine and supporting pro-Russian rebels in the Donbas region. This record suggests that FIFA's decision to award hosting rights to the US is highly problematic.

Furthermore, the US has shown itself willing to use force to maintain its interests abroad, as seen in its response to Mexico over suspected drug trafficking and its threat to invade Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal. These actions are reminiscent of the aggressive behavior exhibited by authoritarian regimes around the world.

FIFA's president Gianni Infantino has remained loyal to Trump, despite growing concerns about human rights abuses in the US. This lack of accountability suggests that FIFA is more interested in maintaining its relationships with powerful governments than upholding the values of the sport it represents.

The 2026 World Cup will be remembered as a symbol of the US's hypocrisy and self-interest, with many fans around the world condemning the tournament for being held in a country with such a checkered history. It remains to be seen how the tournament will be received by the international community, but one thing is certain โ€“ it will not be the first World Cup to be marked by controversy and shame.

As the 2026 World Cup approaches, many are calling for boycotts and protests against the tournament due to its hosting country's human rights abuses. However, given the lack of awareness about these issues among some fans, it remains unclear whether such efforts will be successful in changing public opinion. Nevertheless, it is essential that football fans around the world speak out against this shameful development and demand that FIFA take a stronger stance on promoting democracy and human rights.

Ultimately, the 2026 World Cup will serve as a reminder of the dark side of globalization and the willingness of powerful governments to use their influence to silence dissent and maintain their grip on power. As the tournament unfolds, it is crucial that we remember the lessons of history and hold those in power accountable for their actions.
 
I gotta say, this US hosting rights scandal is a big deal ๐Ÿค”. People are gonna be talking about how the US has its own skeletons to hide when it comes to human rights abuses and authoritarianism ๐Ÿšซ. I mean, who's to say that Trump didn't have a hand in Venezuela's president getting abducted? Maybe FIFA should've done more research on the US record before handing over the hosting rights ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ.

And let's not forget about the hypocrisy โ€“ the US is all about democracy and human rights when it suits them, but only when they're convenient to everyone else ๐Ÿ™„. This whole thing reeks of self-interest and a lack of accountability from FIFA ๐Ÿ‘Ž. As fans start calling for boycotts and protests, I think that's exactly what's needed โ€“ we need to hold those in power accountable for their actions ๐Ÿ’ช.

But at the same time, I'm worried about some fans not being aware of these issues ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ. We can't just rely on outrage from a select few; we need to educate everyone about the importance of promoting democracy and human rights in sports ๐ŸŒŽ. The 2026 World Cup might be a hot mess, but it's also an opportunity for us to learn and grow as a community ๐Ÿ’•.
 
๐Ÿ˜• this is super problematic the US has a history of human rights abuses and now they get to host the World Cup like everything is okay? ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ i mean come on, annexing Crimea from Ukraine and supporting pro-Russian rebels? that's not something to be proud of. and trump labeling venezuela as an "american territory"? are you kidding me? ๐Ÿ˜ก this is exactly why people boycott sports events in countries with bad human rights records. we need to stand up for what's right and not support governments that disregard international law and democracy. ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿ’ช
 
I'm telling you, something fishy is going on here ๐ŸŸ. FIFA's decision to award hosting rights to the US is like a Trojan horse - they're hiding all these dark secrets behind a facade of football. And now, Trump's just labeling Venezuela an "American territory"? That's just plain manipulation ๐Ÿ˜’. What if this is just another way for the US to exert its influence and control over other countries? We should be keeping a close eye on this one ๐Ÿ‘€. I mean, think about all those authoritarian regimes in history - Mussolini, Videla, Putin... they were all connected to FIFA somehow. It's like they're part of some secret club ๐Ÿคซ. And what really gets my goat is that Infantino's just going to keep backing Trump no matter what? That's not accountability, that's just cronyism ๐Ÿค‘. We need to raise our voices and demand change!
 
omg u guys i'm literally freaking out about this 2026 world cup thing ๐Ÿคฏ it's like fifa is just enabling trumps weirdos to host an event in a country with so much blood on its hands ๐Ÿ˜ฉ idk how they can justify awarding hosting rights to the us considering all that has happened there from annexing crimea to supporting russias rebels lol what a mess! ๐Ÿ’โ€โ™€๏ธ and gianni infantino is literally just drinking trumps kool aid ๐Ÿต meanwhile we got fans around the world who are like "wait what about human rights" ๐Ÿ˜ฉ i mean come on fisa gotta take responsibility for promoting democracy and human rights not just making bank off powerful governments ๐Ÿค‘ anyway if u dont mind me saying so idk how boycotting the tournament is gonna make a diff but still gotta speak out against this ๐Ÿ’– we need to remember history and hold those in power accountable for their actions ๐Ÿ‘ฎโ€โ™‚๏ธ
 
๐Ÿค” I've been thinking about this 2026 World Cup in the US and how it's going to reflect badly on our sport ๐Ÿ†. I mean, have you seen some of the stuff they've done over there? It's like they think they're above international law or something ๐Ÿšซ. And Trump labeling Venezuela an "American territory" is just... wow ๐Ÿ˜’. I get that we all make mistakes, but FIFA has got to do better than this.

And let's be real, who wants to watch a World Cup in a country with such a history of, you know, questionable actions? ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ I'm not naive, I've seen some shady stuff go down in my lifetime too, but that doesn't mean we have to condone it.

I think it's time for us football fans to take a stand and show FIFA that we care about what they're doing. Boycotts and protests are one thing, but more importantly, let's make sure everyone knows the truth ๐Ÿ“ฐ. We can't just turn a blind eye because it's convenient or because we don't want to rock the boat.

The 2026 World Cup is going to be a tough sell, that's for sure. I'm not sure how many fans are going to show up with their heads held high ๐Ÿ˜, but maybe if we all speak out, they'll listen ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ. We owe it to ourselves and to the values of football to stand up for what's right ๐Ÿ’ช.
 
๐Ÿค” this whole thing just smells like a bunch of BS to me... if trump says it's an "american territory", that's not how it works ๐Ÿ˜’ and what about all the other countries who have hosted world cups with questionable human rights records? isn't that kinda hypocritical on FIFA's part? ๐Ÿค‘ i want some sources on this before i start jumping off a ledge, though... can someone explain to me why we should believe all this?
 
๐Ÿ˜•๐ŸŒŽ this whole thing stinks ๐Ÿšฝ... US has a super bad rep when it comes to human rights ๐Ÿค• & authoritarianism ๐Ÿ‘ฎโ€โ™‚๏ธ... awarding hosting rights 2 them is like, huge ๐Ÿคฏ mistake โš ๏ธ... FIFA needs 2 step up their game ๐Ÿ”„ and not be so buddy-buddy with Trump ๐Ÿ™„... people r already calling 4 boycotts & protests ๐ŸŽ‰ but we gotta do more ๐Ÿ’ช to raise awareness about what's really going on ๐Ÿ“ข... can't let FIFA just brush it off ๐Ÿ‘‹... gotta hold them accountable ๐Ÿ‘ฎโ€โ™€๏ธ!
 
ugh man come on FIFA what r u even doin giving hosting rights 2 a country thats got a history of human rights abuses ๐Ÿคฏ like wut did they do 2 deserve dis?? Trumps all over ur face & ur just rollin with it ๐Ÿ˜’ like FIFA's supposed 2 be about the sport n not politics... n now ppl r gonna boycott the tournament outta respect for what's rite ๐Ÿšซ this is gonna b a disaster
 
I dont think boycotting the 2026 World Cup will make a difference ๐Ÿค”. It's gonna happen no matter what, and fans are already showing up to watch the games. FIFA needs to take responsibility for awarding hosting rights to a country with such a questionable human rights record. Trumps comments about it being an "American territory" is wild lol ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ. The US has been all over the map when it comes to respecting international law and democracy. It's hard to blame FIFA for wanting to maintain good relations with powerful governments, but they need to do better than just going along with Trump's agenda. We should be focusing on raising awareness about human rights abuses in the US instead of trying to cancel the tournament ๐Ÿ“บ
 
Ugh, I'm really disappointed in this whole thing ๐Ÿค•. I mean, come on FIFA, can't you do better than letting Trump just waltz in and grab hosting rights like it's nothing? It's super embarrassing that you're giving him a platform like this. And to be honest, I'm kinda worried about the safety of all those players who are gonna be participating in the tournament. I know some fans are already calling for boycotts, which is a great idea, but we need more people to speak out against this too ๐Ÿ’ช.

I've got to say, it's pretty hypocritical that Trump is trying to label Venezuela as an "American territory". That just shows how clueless he is about the whole situation. And what really gets my goat is that FIFA's president Gianni Infantino is just going along with all of this without saying anything. It's like he's more interested in making friends with Trump than doing what's right for the sport and the fans ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™‚๏ธ.

We need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to human rights and democracy. This whole thing is just a mess, but I'm gonna keep speaking out and trying to raise awareness about these issues until something changes ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ.
 
Ugh, this is gonna be a disaster ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™‚๏ธ! Like, I get it, US has its flaws but come on FIFA, can't you do better than hosting it here? It's like they're trying to show the world that they don't care about human rights or anything. And Trump being all "American territory" this and that... are you kidding me?! ๐Ÿ˜‚ That's just weak.

And what's up with Gianni Infantino not speaking out against this stuff? He's always talking about football being for everyone but FIFA's more interested in keeping the US happy, I guess. It's like they're more worried about losing sponsorship deals than actually doing what's right.

I don't think anyone's gonna boycott it, though... most people just aren't aware of these issues yet ๐Ÿ˜”. But we need to spread awareness, you know? We can't let FIFA get away with this. We gotta make some noise! ๐Ÿ’ฅ
 
idk why ppl gotta make such a big deal about the US hosting the World Cup ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ. its like yall forgot how many other countries have messed up just as bad...or worse, like china or israel ๐Ÿ™„. and what's with all these boycotts? it'll just be another excuse for ppl to stay home and watch paint dry ๐ŸŽจ. btw, have u seen the new uniforms the US team is gonna wear? ๐Ÿ˜‚
 
I don't think FIFA made the right call by giving hosting rights to the US ๐Ÿค”. I mean, they're not exactly known for being super transparent about human rights issues back home. And what's up with Trump being buddies with Infantino? Shouldn't FIFA be more focused on promoting democracy and human rights than just trying to keep friends with powerful leaders? ๐Ÿ˜• It's gonna be a tough tournament to watch if people don't speak out against the US's questionable history. We gotta stand together as fans and hold FIFA accountable for their actions ๐Ÿค
 
man this 2026 world cup thing got me thinking like what even is the point of hosting it in a country with such a rough human rights record ๐Ÿค”...i mean i get it fifa's gotta make a buck but can't they prioritize the values of the sport over some shady politics? FIFA president gianni infantino seems super caught up in being buddies with trump and that's not right at all ๐Ÿ’ธ. like how are we supposed to trust them when they're just gonna turn a blind eye to these serious issues? ๐Ÿ™…โ€โ™‚๏ธ
 
man this whole thing is just messed up ๐Ÿค• like what even is going on with trump calling venezuela an american territory lolol that's just insane ๐Ÿ˜‚ but seriously though how can fifa not see all this and still give hosting rights to the us? like they're so caught up in their own politics and money ๐Ÿ’ธ that they don't care about the impact it has on the rest of the world ๐ŸŒŽ and honestly it's kinda refreshing to see people all over the world speaking out against this ๐Ÿ™Œ we need more voices doing that ๐Ÿ‘Š
 
Ugh ๐Ÿค• this just shows how corrupt FIFA can be I mean i know they're supposed to be all about sports but come on Gianni Infantino really? He's just sucking up to Trump because of the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$... it's like they're more interested in lining their pockets than doing what's right. And yeah, the US has a super shady history with human rights and stuff so it's pretty messed up that they got the World Cup anyway ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™‚๏ธ
 
I'm low-key disappointed about this ๐Ÿค•. The US hosting the World Cup feels like a whole lot of hypocrisy. I mean, they're all about freedom and democracy on paper, but when it comes to actual human rights, it's a different story. And Trump basically saying Venezuela is an "American territory"... that's just laughable ๐Ÿ˜‚. It highlights how out of touch some people are with the rest of us.

The history of FIFA and their relationship with Trump doesn't help matters ๐Ÿ™„. It feels like they're more interested in making a buck than promoting the values of the game. And now, fans around the world are already talking about boycotts and protests... I think that's a great idea ๐Ÿ’ช. We need to make our voices heard and hold FIFA accountable for this one.

It's also wild to see how some people still don't get it ๐Ÿ˜’. Like, they're all excited about the World Cup, but they haven't taken the time to learn about what's going on in Venezuela or other countries where human rights are being trampled. It's like, yeah, I love football too, but let's not forget that we're part of a bigger world community ๐ŸŒŽ.

Overall, I'm just glad someone is speaking out against this ๐Ÿ™. We need to have these conversations and make sure our voices are heard. The 2026 World Cup might be a hot topic now, but it's also an opportunity for us to raise awareness about some really important issues ๐Ÿ”ฅ.
 
๐Ÿšจ this whole thing reeks of corruption! like what's next? china hosting the olympics and just ignoring human rights abuses? or let's be real, FIFA is all about keeping the peace with these powerful countries and not rocking the boat ๐Ÿ™…โ€โ™‚๏ธ. it's so sad that people are already talking about boycotts but i think some fans still don't know much about what's going on in the US... like did they even know trump was just calling venezuela an "american territory"?? ๐Ÿ˜ฑ
 
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