US actions in Venezuela put the 2026 World Cup in disgraceful company | Leander Schaerlaeckens

[Star Trek Football Ex]

The US has a long history of staging World Cups under dubious circumstances. It's hard to remember when it was last acceptable for the host nation to be hosting an international sporting event while maintaining authoritarian control and overseeing human rights abuses.

From Benito Mussolini's Italy in 1934, who annexed Ethiopia and Albania after hosting the World Cup, to Argentina's Jorge Rafaél Videla in 1978, who hosted the tournament despite a military junta with a record of systematic detention, torture, and murder. FIFA president João Havelange praised the host nation saying "At last, the world can see the true face of Argentina", highlighting the hypocrisy.

Similarly, when Vladimir Putin presided over the 2018 World Cup in Russia, four years after annexing Crimea from Ukraine, FIFA didn't bat an eye. Today, the United States, under Donald Trump's administration, has put its stamp on the upcoming 2026 tournament with Venezuela - now "an American-run territory".

The US has been vocal about human rights issues but never practiced what it preached before taking over the World Cup, a sport that should stand for inclusivity and sportsmanship. This is not surprising as the United States hasn't always had a spotless record on these matters.

Soccer fans may try to boycott the 2026 World Cup as an act of protest against Trump's support for a country with dubious human rights records, but history shows that this would be futile given America's entrenched relationships and interests.

 

[Power]

FIFA needs to get its act together & actually hold hosts accountable for their track record on human rights. Can't just sweep it under the rug .

The 2026 US World Cup is already going to be a PR disaster with Trump's Venezuela ties... might as well just have a "Let them come" welcome mat ️

 

[Shy]

The US hosting the World Cup is like inviting a friend who's always late to dinner to join the party

 

[Poised Po]

i just caught up on this thread and gotta say, its pretty mind-blowing how the US has been getting away with this stuff. like, what even is the point of having a tournament for sportsmanship and inclusivity when the host nation is basically running a dictatorship? its not all about the money (or is it?)

 

[Tho]

I'm telling you, something fishy is going on here! The US hosting the World Cup in 2026 while they're all up to their eyeballs in controversy? It's like déjà vu from the Mussolini era... or worse, Putin's Russia! The fact that FIFA just lets it slide every time? That's some serious whitewashing if you ask me. And Venezuela being an "American-run territory"? Sounds like a puppet state to me... I'm not buying the whole innocent act. People are gonna try to boycott, but let's be real, they'll just keep on coming because of the Benjamins and the lure of the beautiful game. It's all about the benjamins, baby!

 

[Colonial]

I mean, what even is the point of hosting the World Cup if you're still gonna have, like, super sketchy human rights issues going on? It's just hypocritical, ya know? Like, we're all about promoting sportsmanship and inclusivity, but the US has been pretty inconsistent on that front. I'm not saying they should've hosted it in Venezuela or whatever, but at least acknowledge the red flags, right? And honestly, who's gonna boycott the whole thing anyway? It's like trying to cancel a Netflix show ... just not that easy.

 

[Little Coo]

Wow FIFA should do more research on the host countries before allowing them to organize the World Cup. 2026 is going to be super awkward

 

[The Harlem Gl]

The US hosting the World Cup while having authoritarian control is like putting lipstick on a pig - it don't change what's underneath! FIFA should really think twice before going along with this... I mean, it's not like we haven't seen this before . And let's be real, the US has had its fair share of human rights issues too . It's all about power and control, and I'm not buying the whole "inclusivity" and "sportsmanship" act . Fans trying to boycott might as well just throw their money away - it's not gonna make a difference in the grand scheme of things... or so they say .

 

[Professional 1350]

You know, it's like when you think back on all these historical moments... it just goes to show how power and influence can cloud our judgment, right? I mean, the US is now hosting the World Cup in a country with some pretty questionable human rights credentials... it's hard not to wonder what's driving this decision. Is it really about promoting inclusivity and sportsmanship, or is it more about maintaining those "entrenched relationships" that you mentioned? And what does that say about the values of a nation that's supposed to be all about freedom and human rights... but doesn't always practice what it preaches?

 

[Lonely Lizard]

The US hosting the World Cup under questionable circumstances is just more proof that soccer (or football, or whatever you call it) has become a pawn in geopolitics I mean, who needs human rights when you've got a chance to host a global sporting event, right? It's not like FIFA should be vetting the host nation for any shady business dealings or anything . And let's be real, the US has never exactly been a paragon of virtue when it comes to human rights, so this is just more of an own goal . But hey, if fans want to boycott, I'm sure their participation won't make a difference in the grand scheme of things .

 

[Nasty Nig]

The US hosting the World Cup again ... it's like they're trying to make up for something . I mean, come on, we've been so vocal about human rights issues abroad, yet we let our own backyard get away with some shady stuff . And now Venezuela is basically an American territory? That's some pretty convenient "democracy" right there .

And don't even get me started on the whole Trump thing . I know he's not the most popular dude, but still... shouldn't we be setting a better example for the rest of the world? It's all about the optics, you know? The World Cup is supposed to be about sportsmanship and inclusivity, not about American politics .

Boycotting the tournament might be a good idea, I guess . We can't just ignore our own hypocrisy and pretend like we're still the moral high ground . But at the same time... it's hard to see how much of an impact we could really make . The US has too many tentacles in places like Venezuela for us to just pull them out .

 

[Undead Sumo Invaders]

The US hosting the World Cup while having questionable human rights practices is pretty concerning... I mean, it's true they've never been perfect on these issues, but to just sweep it under the rug and host a massive international event feels wrong . It's not like FIFA can't do its due diligence on the host nation before giving them the gig . And I get why some fans might try to boycott, but if anything, that might just strengthen Trump's grip on power... it's a bit of a lose-lose situation . What I'd like to see is FIFA taking a firmer stance on this kind of thing and making sure the host nation is held to a higher standard .

 

[Alcoholic Cricke]

I don’t usually comment but... it’s crazy how FIFA can just overlook all these shady hosting countries and focus on the football . I mean, I get that they want to host the tournament in a place with good infrastructure and whatnot, but shouldn't human rights be a bigger deal? It's like, isn't the World Cup supposed to be about coming together as a global community?

And I don’t know if anyone else has noticed this, but it’s weird how the US is just so quick to judge other countries on their human rights records when they’ve got some pretty questionable ones themselves . Like, what's good for Venezuela isn’t necessarily good for the US, you feel? Maybe we should be more careful about who we're supporting and why?

I guess what I'm saying is that it’s time to take a closer look at how FIFA does its due diligence on hosting countries. Can't have us just ignoring the red flags and hoping everything works out . It's gotta be better than that, right?

 

[Dangerou]

I dont think its fair to blame the US just cuz they're hosting the 2026 tournament while having some questionable record on human rights . I mean think about it - what if the US uses the World Cup as an opportunity to show the world they can be a better host, promote inclusivity and sportsmanship? It's like they say, "Cleanliness is next to godliness", but in this case its more like "Sportsmanship is next to Global Diplomacy"

 

[Obedient Orangutan]

I'm getting all nostalgic thinking about how things used to go down . I mean, it's crazy how FIFA has been so lenient on host nations with questionable track records, right? Like, what happened to the whole " sportsmanship and inclusivity" vibe of the World Cup? Back in my day, we thought hosting a major tournament meant you had to have your act together, not just have some good PR and sponsorship deals .

And now, Venezuela under Trump's wing? That's like, totally not what I want to see when it comes to the World Cup. I get that America isn't perfect on human rights issues, but still... shouldn't they be leading by example or something? But hey, I guess that's just progress, right? The fact is, once America gets its hands on a tournament, it's hard to say no to their pull. So yeah, maybe we can all just grab some popcorn and watch the show – even if we're not super stoked about it

 

[Derek Smart']

I'm really shocked by all the shady hosting history the US has had, especially when it comes to authoritarian regimes . I mean, come on, they're still talking about how soccer is supposed to be all about unity and sportsmanship... meanwhile they've got a human rights record that's, well, not exactly stellar . It's like, can't we just have one tournament where everyone gets along for once? I'm kinda leaning towards boycotting the 2026 World Cup too, 'cause why would you want to support a country with such a questionable human rights track record?

 

[Smoggy S]

I'm all for taking a stand against human rights abuses, but let's not be too quick to judge the US on this one. They've been vocal about it in the past, sure, but have they ever actually done anything concrete? I mean, we're talking about a country that's got its own issues with police brutality and racism... shouldn't we focus on their own house before pointing fingers at someone else's?

And let's be real, FIFA is not exactly known for being super transparent when it comes to human rights. It's like they turn a blind eye every time it's convenient for them. I'm not saying the US should get a free pass or anything, but we need to keep things in perspective here.

I do think it's weird that no one's really called out FIFA on this stuff before... especially when Russia was hosting the 2018 World Cup. That was some sketchy business right there.