“When Fifa announced that the United States would host the 2026 World Cup, everyone knew that the tournament would turn into a money-drenched political spectacle. But back in 2017, when the ‘United 2026 bid’ advanced by the US, Mexico, and Canada was promising that ‘UNITED AS ONE’ it would ‘bring the game to all,’ it was hard to imagine the intensity of the capitalist hellscape and political mayhem to come. Nine years later, Donald Trump has threatened the US’s co-hosts: he has discussed making Canada the 51st state and sending US soldiers to Mexico to attack drug cartels. Meanwhile, Fifa’s avarice has been on full display in prices for tickets, parking, and demands upon cities. And it’s giving aspiring grifters a license to fleece. …”
Guardian