President Donald Trump has pushed international trade relations and markets in a state of uncertainty with recent tariff statements, but also believes that they will improve the emotion of the 2026 World Cup.
At a Friday press conference at the Oval office with the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, Trump asked how current commercial tensions, especially with Canada and Mexico, which are the other host countries with the United States in 2026, they can affect the World Cup.
“I think he will make it more exciting,” Trump said. “The tension is a good thing, it makes it much more exciting.”
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President Donald Trump and FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association), President Gianni Infantino speak in the Oval Office of the White House after signing an executive order for a workforce related to the FIFA World Cup, in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2025. (Jim Watson/AFP)
This week, the Trump administration imposed 25% tariffs on the goods of Canada and Mexico, but then announced on Thursday a post -month for both countries that meet the goods under a commercial pact of North America.
The exemptions for the two largest commercial partners in the US. Trump has also threatened to impose a global regime of reciprocal tariffs on all US business partners.
When Trump announced tariffs for the first time in Mexico and Canada in early February, he ended up delaying them for a month after resolving agreements with both countries to help ensure the northern and south border.
However, the incident tension still spilled in sports during the confrontation exhibition tournament of the 4 NHL nations from February 12 to 20. Fans in Canada booed the United States national anthem, while United States fans booed the Canadian national anthem before multiple games.
It began on February 13, when Canadian fans in Montreal booed the United States national anthem after the recent threats of President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Canada, while suggesting that the country should become the state 51 of the United States.
NHL Star Plans in the American pride of Team Usa Players: “I have not seen that of Americans in general”
The United States team striker Matthew Tkachuk (19) and the eaves of the Canada Brandon Hagel team (38) fight in the first period during an ice hockey game in front of the 4 nations in the Bell Center. (Eric Bolte-Imagn images)
The boo caused a burst of fights among Canadian and American players at the first meeting of the tournament between the two teams on February 15. The United States won that game 3-1.
The Canadian national anthem was booed in TD Garden in Boston before a set of 4 nations between Canada and Finland.
The United States and Canada gathered in the final on February 20, and American fans in Boston once again booed the Canadian national anthem, although with a lighter tone. Canada won the game in extra time, 3-2.
Since then, hostile rhetoric between the two countries, even in sports, has only intensified. The NHL games that involve teams based in Canada and the United States have often presented boo during national hymns prior to the visiting team game.
Fans of WWE elimination chamber In Toronto he booed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the event on Saturday night. Star Sports Pat Mcafee commentator criticized Canadian fans to boo, and the country as a whole, in response during Peacock transmission.
“It is a bit stinky that it is in the terrible country of Canada that booed our national anthem to start all this,” Mcafee shouted at the transmission table.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, speaks along with the president of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino after presenting the World Cup 2025 World Cup trophy at the Oval Office in the White House on March 7, 2025, in Washington, the president of DC, signed an executive order that established a White House Task World Cup 2026. (Anna MoneyMaker/Getty images)
Since then, Mcafee has said that he has received death threats against his little daughter for comments.
Canadian male soccer coach Jesse Marsch criticized Trump for his comments from the “51st State”, calling them “insulting” Wednesday. During the media day of the Concacaf Nations League, Marsch said he was “ashamed” how the president had insulted Canada.
“If I have a message for our president, he is saying goodbye to the ridiculous rhetoric that Canada is state 51,” said Marsch. “As a American, I am ashamed of arrogance and contempt, we have shown one of our historically older, stronger and loyal allies. But one thing is safe: when I look forward to a month from now on, this will feed our team. The mentality we have, the will we have to play for our country.”
NHL legend Wayne Gretzky He has also been criticized by other Canadians for his apparent support for Trump. Trump recently said he had asked Gretzky to become the next “Governor of Canada” after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would resign.
But after Gretzky expressed his support for “Canada that remains a separate country, instead of becoming a precious and beautiful state 51,”. Trump told Gretzky a “free agent.”
