Document Type
Article
Keywords
World Cup; 2026; President Donald Trump; soccer; football
Publisher
Fast Capitialism
Rights Management
Open Access
Abstract
This essay examines President Donald Trump’s rhetorical interventions in the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is inspired by Eduardo Galeano’s Soccer in Sun and Shadow, which interprets football as a mirror reflecting broader political, cultural, and economic realities. My analysis explores how Trump commandeered the World Cup through spectacle, transforming it into a stage for symbolically demonstrating his power and indulging his ego. The president’s rhetorical behavior is explored and critiqued through three case studies and a final vignette: (1) the establishment of a White House World Cup Task Force, (2) the president’s threats to relocate matches from Democratic-led cities, (3) the World Cup draw featuring Trump receiving a fabricated FIFA Peace Prize, and (4) the U.S. war with Iran. What emerges are the many ways in which Trump’s shadow over the build-up to the 2026 World Cup has obscured the sporting content of the competition for the president’s own political and personal purposes.
Comments
Recommended Citation Holtzman, Richard (2026) "The 2026 World Cup, in Trump’s Shadow," Fast Capitalism: Vol. 23: Iss. 1, Article 7. DOI: 10.32855/1930-014X.1507 Available at: https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/fastcapitalism/vol23/iss1/7