Intervention in the Middle East, overpriced ticket resale, and questionable pitch conditions plague the 2026 World Cup and if FIFA made the right decision to host in North America.

As only 23 days separate North America from hosting the biggest tournament in sport on the planet, it continues to find itself shrouded in controversy. Despite Canada and Mexico being the other two host countries, it is America yet again putting themselves in a position to compromise and ruin what is such a beautiful tournament. Whether it is through unnecessary conflict overseas, poor infrastructure to hold the tournament, or politics, this is a World Cup that is held as the most controversial in years. While Qatar 2022 had many political and humanitarian issues, or 2018 Russia for diplomatic issues, this 2026 World Cup in North America seems to hold both as we sit just a few weeks away. Here are the reasons that this World Cup should not go on because it almost seems impossible that it can at this point.

Let’s start with the most obvious, while it is not just the United States’ World Cup, it is also Canada and Mexico’s as well. However, the United States holds the most host cities within the upcoming World Cup which has posed many issues for fans and teams that want to enter the country. As of February 28 th , 2026, the United States under President Trump and his cabinet alongside the aid of Israeli forces were engaging in preemptive strikes on the country of Iran after constant months of dispute (Reuters, 2026). This conflict created even more uncertainty when it came to this World Cup and what it means for other countries around the world in such a tribulating time. This outbreak of conflict coupled with the changed immigration laws within The United States makes it almost impossible to attend the World Cup, at least in the States. Despite this maybe a solution was found, but only in retrospect as the “FIFA Pass” still has many flaws. In the words of United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, “It guarantees you an expedited appointment. You’ll still go through the same vetting process as anyone else. The only difference here is that we’re moving you up in line,” Rubio said (Sophia Cai, 2025). This statement is just completely flawed when you see multiple countries are banned upon entry to this country. It is quite disappointing and upsetting considering that the 1994 World Cup in the United States bolstered some of the highest numbers in attendance ever. This more than likely won’t change ahead of the World Cup and all one can do is feel for the fans who will miss out on such an amazing tournament.

The second issue that revolves around this upcoming World Cup are the egregious ticket prices and resale value of these tickets. In Canada, Mexico, and the United States, FIFA has already found themselves in trouble for ticket pricing. When you then couple that with resell sites such as Ticketmaster, StubHub, and so many others, fans are having to pay a fortune to not only travel to the country, but just to afford a game. These are stadiums that hold large capacities of fans, but it is near impossible to travel to them. It is a true travesty to the fans who are wanting to watch the greatest tournament on earth traveling from miles away, can’t even afford a decent ticket price after the thousands it cost to travel to North America.

I finally conclude with the pitch factor as it was a disgrace in the United States after this past summer. Players were asked to put out performances after such long seasons, just to come the United States and play on pitches and in heat that could not suit the long-term health of these world class players. It was a disgrace, yet the United States keeps getting awarded the privilege to host the biggest and best tournaments in the world. Infantino and Trump might have a great connection, but it is so far beyond where and what football has been and should be. Maybe there is a possibility that these stadiums figured out a formula to cultivate proper grass, but too many players have suffered incredible amounts of fatigue from the lack of infrastructure that is over here.

With all this the World Cup will be a disaster. Shrouded by politics, political controversy, poor planning, and so much more, what can this be? It could and has the potential to be great, but that is difficult to see unless you are sitting with rose-tinted glasses on your eyes. It looks like much of what FIFA does now is a money grab, something to appease the nations that hold a lot of influence. Maybe there will be a change one day, but it didn’t come soon enough.

Sources Cited

(N.d.). Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-says-it-launched-pre-emptive-attack-against-iran-2026-02-28/

(N.d.). Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12631161385360554578. (2026). World Cup ticket prices in FREEFALL as sky-high costs sees fans refuse to pay. Retrieved from https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/39117488/world-cup-ticket-prices-freefall-fans-refuse-pay/

Walker, A. (2025). Top human rights group challenges FIFA over Trump and 2026 World Cup.Retrieved from https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-fifa-world-cup-2026-gianni-infantino-us-canada-mexico/

(N.d.). Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/17/trump-prioritize-visas-world-cup-ticket-holders-00655272