The heat is on!
As the World Cup kicks off, let’s hope it’s the players who make all the headlines and not the President of the USA, says Simon Barnes
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- Simon Barnes
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It has become a custom hallowed by tradition. Before any major international sporting event can take place, there must be loud predictions of ruin, violence, hatred, fear, loathing and the end of sport as we know it. The men’s football World Cup begins this week and the potential for real disaster has never been more acute.
Football’s world governing body presented its inaugural peace prize to a man who had performed “exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace” and “united people across the world”. In a decision that signals the death of irony, the recipient was the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump.
Fifa is committed by its constitution to political neutrality and human rights. You don’t need to be a graduate in political science to spot the potential for contradiction. The two previous World Cups under the current president Gianni Infantino have been held in Russia and Qatar, respectively.
When a three-country bid for the 2026 World Cup was accepted in 2018, it seemed a comfortable and uncontroversial decision – the successful nations being Mexico, Canada and the United States, the last the dominant partner. But times have changed. The World Cup of 2026 will be the first time a major event has taken place when two of the participating nations are at war with each other, so no one knows quite what to expect or how to behave. The situation is particularly fraught because one of the countries is hosting the event.
On 28 February this year, the United States, in partnership with Israel, began a war with Iran, who have qualified for this grandiose tournament of 48 teams, a marked upgrade from 32 last time round. Trump said: “The Iran international soccer team is welcome to the World Cup but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.” Is that a threat?
We are living in a nervous time – and for 39 days, the World Cup will be at the heart of it
It’s been estimated that the last World Cup attracted global audiences of 1.41 billion. Such figures are dazzlingly attractive to those who wish to publicise a cause by way of disruption: boycotts, peaceful demonstrations, cyber-attacks or out-and-out violence. It’s been said that aggressive actions could be carried out by Iran’s proxy organisations, putative sleeper units or a lone wolf.
But people from other nations have increasing reasons to be wary of the United States – including the two co-hosts. Trump has threatened to take over Canada as the 51st state and hasn’t been too kind about Mexican immigrants. Unfortunately, everywhere you look there is potential for trouble.
Intense restrictions on immigration to the United States and their violent enforcement have created global unease. Those who wish to travel there have problems far beyond Fifa’s ticket prices and the extortionate costs of hotels and travel. (The BBC estimates that an England supporter travelling for the group stage matches must find £6,500.)
People from some of the participating nations are banned altogether from the USA: Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Senegal and of course, Iran. Meanwhile, South American nations are increasingly mistrustful after the USA military intervention in Venezuela, when they removed the head of state, Nicolás Maduro.
European members of Nato have been subjected to sustained abuse from Trump, most recently for their refusal to join him in his war of choice against Iran. Trump has also threatened to annex Greenland by force.
Trump’s volatility and unpredictability has filled the world with uncertainty. We are living in a nervous and jumpy time – and for 39 days the World Cup will be the heart of it.
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Now add this to the mix. Iran are in a group with New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt, so it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that they could get through to the knockout stage. If they finish second in their group and the United States do the same in theirs, we’ll have a match in Texas on 3 July between Iran and the United States. Would it were August and all well...
Authors
Simon BarnesAuthor and journalist
Simon Barnes is a sports and wildlife writer, and is the author of a number of books including the recently published The Green Planet
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