President Trump’s comments and tweets about North America’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup might not hurt the bid, but they might not help either.
That’s the consensus from an Inquirer and Daily News survey of journalists, academics and soccer influencers around the world who weighed in on the Trump effect for next month’s vote, which will be held in Moscow on June 13. This year’s World Cup in Russia starts the next day.
The North American bid is competing with Morocco. On the surface, it shouldn’t be much of a competition. North America has all the stadiums, hotels, airports and other infrastructure needed to satisfy the world, from fans to FIFA big shots.