President Trump says US is working ‘very closely’ on approving World Cup visas
Asked about visas for World Cup participants, President Donald Trump said the United States was “working very closely” to make sure “the right people” come into the country.
IRVINE, Calif. – The United States has already lost this World Cup.
With the U.S. men’s national team on a historic run, the tournament could be filled with great goals and fascinating games. It doesn’t change the fact that we have shown ourselves to be a hateful and greedy nation. A nation whose leaders are only willing to welcome the world they want to see rather than the one that exists, where the love of the game is exploited for top dollar.
That is the legacy of this World Cup and it will be a shame. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase the best of America and embrace the joy that soccer brings to the world, but instead we choose to be ugly Americans.
The World Cup is magical, unlike the sporting events typically seen in the United States. The Brazilian crowd, all wearing their familiar canary yellow jerseys, were singing and having a great time. The Dutch turned the streets around the stadium into a sea of orange. Japanese fans cleaning the stadium after the match.
You can’t help but be fascinated by this sight. Anyone who has experienced this sight will feel that the world is a little smaller and much friendlier than we think.
“All these people want to enjoy a moment of happiness, a moment when they can put their day-to-day problems aside and just enjoy the game,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said at a press conference on Wednesday, June 10.
“Cry when your team loses, cry when your team wins, and feel those emotions in community with others.”
That’s the tragedy of all this. Instead of using the World Cup to unite us, we have used it as an excuse to divide.
Iran, visas and ticket prices cast a shadow on World Cup
Infantino played down his animosity towards the Iranians, characterizing their participation despite their disgraceful treatment as a victory. Iran had to move its base camp to Mexico in the 11th hour, was not allowed to stay in the United States despite all three group games being played in Mexico, and also lost its ticket allocation to fans.
He also downplayed the US decision to deny entry to Somali referee Omar Altan. Artan, who refereed World Cup qualifiers and last year’s U-20 World Cup, was one of several people turned away at the U.S. border for questionable reasons.
“We’re working very closely to make sure the right people come to our country,” President Donald Trump said Wednesday in response to a question about the denial.
However, the United States should be the host of the World Cup, not its bodyguard.
The World Cup should be a party for everyone
Throwing a global party means you have to welcome everyone, not just your favorite people. There’s no need to be happy that a referee from Iran or Somalia comes. But you need to show them the same courtesy you would give to people coming from Spain or Argentina, for example.
I can’t even manage that.
“This is anathema to the purpose of this tournament,” New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani said earlier this week when asked about the visa restrictions.
“If we cannot even allow the players, the teams, and the journalists who cover those teams to visit this country, it casts great doubt on our commitment to the spirit of this tournament,” Mamdani said. “We want this to be a tournament that reflects our determination to be part of something bigger than ourselves.”
Ordinary fans make the World Cup more expensive
Its commitment to the spirit of the World Cup was questionable, as ticket prices were so high that it was unaffordable for ordinary fans.
What makes soccer a beautiful game is that everyone can participate. Your race, ethnicity, gender, religion, socio-economic status, none of that matters. If you have the ball and space, you can play.
The World Cup should reflect that. But this tournament is shaping up to be no different than the Super Bowl or the Final Four, adding another “experience” to the corporate set’s bucket list.
Hosting the World Cup could have been transformative for the United States. It may have brought us closer to the rest of the world and given us a new appreciation for people and places we didn’t know about before.
It could also have reminded the world of America’s eternal strength. We are generally friendly people, sociable and approachable. Imagine the impression we could have made, the disbelief and disappointment we could have dispelled.
Instead, we chose to show the world our worst selves. This is the biggest loss in the World Cup.
Follow USA TODAY sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
