Juan Villoro
In 2015, the FBI moved away from the back alleys where it usually operates and arrived at FIFA headquarters in Zurich. The immaculate appearance of the offices concealed some shady accounting. Russia and Qatar had secured the hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups thanks to millions in bribes, thereby beating out their closest competitor: the United States.
The FBI had arrived with a vengeance. We immediately knew where the 2026 World Cup would be held.
The situation was so obvious that FIFA launched a hasty diplomatic operation, announcing that the three North American countries would share the World Cup. But the territorial union did not represent equality: the latecomers (Mexico and Canada) would host 13 of the 104 matches.
That asymmetry was confirmed on December 5, 2025, when FIFA chief Gianni Infantino invented a trophy to reward Trump for his “contribution to peace.” In this way, he recognized the star of the World Cup (the supporting actors, Mexico and Canada, did not receive even an honorable mention).
The global reality has entered a crisis. In classical Greece, the Olympic Games were accompanied by a “sacred truce” that suspended wars. Today, Trump wins peace medals for attacking countries and bombing Iran, a guest nation at the World Cup. Shortly before, he invaded Venezuela to arrest President Nicolás Maduro. His explicit goal was not the restoration of democracy, but control of Venezuelan oil, which reached a record price with the attack on Iran.
On the eve of the World Cup, there is no better business than war; however, as in George Orwell’s novel 1984, words change their meaning, and aggression becomes synonymous with peace. This alone explains why María Corina Machado, an opposition leader who received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo for her fight for democracy in Venezuela, gave her medal to the warrior in the White House.
Every day, the theater of absurdities offers a new scene.
In the United States, the passion for soccer has been driven by Latinos. Will they go to the stadiums now that immigration patrols are arresting people based on the color of their skin?
In the past, World Cup logistics were handled by travel agencies; today, they depend on a war room. Although FIFA describes itself as a “non-profit organization,” it is a global corporation. With profit in mind alone, it increased the number of matches and participating nations for 2026. The tournament champion will have to win eight games, one more than in the previous competition. What consequences will this have for athletes who are already treated like racehorses?
When they aren’t in the hospital or the operating room, high-performance soccer players play three matches a week. In 2024, Spain’s Rodri won the Ballon d’Or as the world’s best player. He collected it with an unsteady gait because he was injured. In 2025, the same thing happened; the winner was France’s Dembélé, who also couldn’t play due to injuries. Modern soccer destroys its stars.
Some stars won’t make it to the tournament; others will get injured during the World Cup due to the heavy match schedule, long flights, and changes in altitude, humidity, and temperature. A team might play a match at 2,200 meters in Mexico City and then travel to the United States, where they’ll have to train at sea level in 40-degree heat and eat in places where the air conditioning feels like an arctic wind. Is it possible to acclimate to this grind? The playing conditions will be as lethal as the kicks to the shins.
Historically, FIFA has favored dealing with tyrants who promise order. Mussolini, the Argentine military junta, Franco (who secured the 1964 bid for Spain ’82), Putin, and the Emir of Qatar have been some of its partners.
However, in this case, the master of ceremonies will be the most unpredictable leader, willing to unleash any crisis that serves good business.
If Infantino were to master a shrewd twist of logic, the award he gave Trump should be seen not as recognition of his support for peace, but as a desire to pacify him. A metal-based tranquilizer: “We ask you to calm down.”
But FIFA has long since abandoned logic.
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