Post Reports — "Get ready for Trump’s World Cup" (December 8, 2025)

Podcast: Post Reports | Host: Ava Wallace (The Washington Post)
Guests: Rick Maese (Sports Features Writer), Thomas Floyd (Editor)

Main Theme

This episode dissects the unprecedented political overtones of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a specific focus on President Donald Trump's deep involvement in the event. From the highly politicized draw ceremony at the Kennedy Center, to diplomatic tensions, changing immigration policies, FIFA’s eyebrow-raising Peace Prize, and the ways Trump aims to recenter the tournament on Washington and himself, the hosts examine how politics could overshadow soccer in what’s set to be America’s World Cup.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The World Cup Draw at the Kennedy Center

• Trophy Talk: The episode opens with the hosts reacting to the unusual "creepy" World Cup draw trophy—a comical and telling symbol for a politicized event.
  • "[The trophy] felt like they made a trophy and put it in the microwave for like 30 seconds on high and then brought it out." — Rick Maese (00:24)
• Hollywood Glamour: The draw was more awards show than sporting event, featuring musical performances (Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Lauryn Hill), celebrity sketches, and banter.
  • "The World cup draw has become something of a mashup between Selection Sunday and the Oscars." — Thomas Floyd (01:53)
• Trump's Involvement in the Venue Choice: Originally planned for Las Vegas, the event shifted at the last minute to the Kennedy Center, following President Trump’s lobbying as chairman of the center's board—a position gained via a controversial takeover by his administration.
  • "There's been a little bit of this hostile takeover by the Trump administration." — Ava Wallace (05:13)
  • Trump’s close ties to FIFA President Gianni Infantino factored heavily into the draw’s politics.

2. The Politicization of the 2026 World Cup

• Unprecedented Political Involvement: Unlike previous World Cups, Trump is far more hands-on than past hosts; his presence is direct and central, unlike prior years where heads of state were only ceremonial.
  • "Trump took it to a whole new level and FIFA took it to a whole new level. This time." — Rick Maese (04:31)
• Changing the Kennedy Center: Trump’s takeover has shifted the Kennedy Center’s ethos, impacting programming and attendance:
  • Certain acts refusing to perform, alternative acts recruited, declining ticket sales.
  • FIFA allegedly paid no rent to use the space for three weeks, with conflicting statements about whether the center is making any profit.
  • "FIFA signed a contract where they're paying zero rent, and they took over the Kennedy center for three weeks." — Rick Maese (06:49)

3. Trump & Infantino: A Strategic Friendship

• Frequent Appearances: FIFA President Infantino is a constant at Trump events, often at Trump’s side for both soccer and political events (e.g., photo-ops with Juventus, renaming ceremonies).
  • "It's a little unusual, but that's just the kind of relationship that they have and they seem very friendly." — Thomas Floyd (08:26)
  • Infantino positions himself as a quasi-statesman, leveraging Trump’s platform.
  • "He's almost like positioning FIFA as, you know, this nebulous nation out there and him as another leader that should have a seat in the United Nations. And Trump is giving him an audience." — Rick Maese (09:24)

4. Perceptions from Co-Host Nations

• Diplomatic Caution: Canada and Mexico’s leaders, and even their coaches, avoid discussing Trump’s centrality for fear of straining relations.
  • "People don't want to tackle it head on... They want the focus to turn to soccer as quickly as possible and away from Trump." — Rick Maese (10:07)
• US Players Supportive: US Coach Mauricio Pochettino, midfielder Tyler Adams, and forward Christian Pulisic echoed only positivity about the event and Trump’s role, emphasizing American “spectacle”. (10:45)

5. Clash of Immigration Policy and Tournament Ideals

• Contradictory Messaging: While host nations typically use the World Cup to advertise openness, the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration stance clashes with FIFA’s spirit.
  • "With President Trump's immigration policies, like, actually, we don't want a lot of people coming into this country right now." — Ava Wallace (12:27)
• Visa Issues & Exclusions: Fans from countries like Iran and Haiti face near-certain visa denials. The message to the world is selective welcome.
  • "There are... at least two nations... Iran and Haiti, whose fans are not welcome here." — Rick Maese (13:38)
• Threatening Host Cities: Trump has threatened to remove matches from "unsafe" (largely Democratic) cities—threats unlikely to materialize but setting a tense tone.
  • "He's Using [match relocation] at this point as a political cudgel." — Rick Maese (14:55)
• Potential Immigration Raids: Concerns linger that high-profile immigration enforcement could occur during the tournament, which Trump administration officials won't rule out.
  • "People are very concerned about some of the raids they're seeing, you know, in places like Los Angeles... They don't want the spotlight to be on, you know, immigrants being detained and deported in the middle of the World Cup." — Rick Maese (14:26)

6. The FIFA Peace Prize Controversy

• Trump Awarded a Custom Prize: After being passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump received a newly-created "FIFA Peace Prize" at the draw, widely seen as a move to curry favor.
  • "The FIFA Peace Prize, as is very subtly named, was in fact announced... about four weeks after Trump was overlooked for the Nobel that he actively campaigned himself for." — Thomas Floyd (15:43)
• No Transparency or Criteria: FIFA refuses to clarify how the prize was awarded, triggering accusations of politicized pandering.
  • "There are no answers. And you could say the fact there are no answers, maybe that is your answer." — Rick Maese (17:04)
• Human Rights Backlash: Critics, including Human Rights Watch, question honoring Trump due to his administration's immigration/deportation stances, which sharply contradict the peace-oriented image FIFA tries to project.
  • "How can we honor this guy, give him this kind of award, platform him this way, when all of his actions on the ground are sending a different message to the world right now?" — Rick Maese (18:22)

7. Looking Ahead to Summer 2026

• Tournament Expansion: This World Cup will be the largest ever—48 teams, three co-hosts, 39 days, eight matches to win.
  • "It is going to be quite the, quite the enduring spectacle this summer." — Thomas Floyd (19:15)
• US Team Outlook: The US received a favorable group draw (Australia, Paraguay, likely Turkey) and has beat each within the past year.
  • "It's a group that I think the US Would certainly expect to get out of." — Thomas Floyd (20:37)
• Format Favors Advancement: Even finishing 3rd in their 4-team group, the US could still progress due to the new group-stage structure.
  • "If you finish in third place in your group of four, you probably will still advance with the way the format works." — Thomas Floyd (21:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the trophy: "The hands were so creepy to me." — Ava Wallace (00:17)
• Las Vegas to DC venue switch: "Donald Trump, now the chairman of the Kennedy center after his administration took over the arts facility earlier this year, he has a tight relationship with FIFA President Johnny Infantino. And it is understood that he lobbied for the Kennedy center to host this event." — Thomas Floyd (03:26)
• Award show spectacle: "There was a lot of talk about how it was this uniquely American spectacle, that it felt something like a Super bowl halftime show type vibe that was distinct from what FIFA normally stages." — Thomas Floyd (10:45)
• On the FIFA Peace Prize: "If they can stroke his ego with, with a FIFA Peace Prize, when he feels spurned by the Nobel Peace Prize, then, you know, they are not above doing that kind of thing." — Thomas Floyd (16:36)
• On human rights and awards: "All of his actions on the ground are sending a different message to the world right now?" — Rick Maese (18:22)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:17 — Creepy trophy and early tone-setting
• 01:53 — Breakdown of the glitzy World Cup draw
• 03:26 — The politics behind venue selection (Trump/FIFA alliance)
• 05:13 — The shifting culture of the Kennedy Center under Trump
• 07:45 — Trump & Infantino’s relationship origins
• 09:24 — Infantino’s diplomatic ambitions alongside Trump
• 10:07 — Co-host nations' restrained reactions to Trump
• 12:27 — Immigration policy clashes with World Cup ideals
• 14:55 — Trump’s threats to Democratic host cities
• 15:43 — FIFA creates the Peace Prize for Trump
• 17:04 — Lack of transparency over the FIFA Peace Prize
• 18:22 — Human rights-driven backlash
• 19:15 — Tournament’s expanded format and what to expect
• 20:37 — US team’s World Cup group draw analysis

Summary & Takeaway

This episode underscores how the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US is shaping up to be as much a political drama as an athletic spectacle. Trump’s personal involvement has turned soccer’s biggest stage into a showcase of American politics, potentially skewing the narrative from the sport to his administration and controversial policies—especially regarding immigration and civic life. FIFA’s relationship with Trump (embodied in the controversial Peace Prize) and the administration’s handling of logistics, civil rights, and city relations loom over the event’s legacy. For fans, the hope remains that, come next summer, soccer can reclaim the spotlight.

This summary captures the major discussions, quotes, and contexts within the original language and candid tone of the episode, with clear structure and timestamps for reference.