Us-canada-mexico Joint World Cup Goes From Unity To Acrimony Thanks To Tariffs And '51st State' Talk

Seven years ago, when a joint bid by the United States, Canada and Mexico was awarded the 2026 World Cup , rifts created by tariffs - yes, back then, too! - and a proposed border wall were glossed over because of the neighbors' longstanding political and economic alliances.

"The unity of the three nations" was the overriding theme articulated by Carlos Cordeiro, then-president of the U.S. Soccer Federation. "A powerful message," he called it.

Well, here we are now, with the soccer showcase arriving in North America in about 15 months, and President Donald Trump back in office - inciting trade wars between the neighbors, not to mention across the globe, by levying tariffs that come, then go, then return, with more promised , including what the Republican calls " reciprocal tariffs " starting Wednesday .

It's hard to know how, exactly, the current geopolitical fissures, made all the more stark every time Trump or those in his administration talk provocatively about making Canada the 51st state , might affect the World Cup, its organization and coordination, fans' travel plans and more.

"Oh, I think it's going to make it more exciting," was Trump's take during an Oval Office appearance with FIFA President Gianni Infantino last month. "Tension's a good thing."