It’s not always clear where Donald Trump’s allegiances lie in sport. He flits between individuals and teams, but is remarkably consistent in attaching himself to a winner. It’s why he suddenly showed up at the New York Knicks last week as they were riding high in the NBA basketball finals, why he praised Serena Williams when she was at the peak of her powers and courted Mike Tyson when he was heavyweight champion of the world. His primary concern is not the badge on the shirt but positioning himself to bask in reflected glory.
But when it comes to hosting the World Cup, he may have misread the game. Trump has been in the public eye for decades, but so far this tournament, he’s been schooled by New York’s Mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
Mamdani has done prominent interviews, rolled out $26 meal deals at hundreds of New York restaurants and announced a thousand $50 tickets for New Yorkers, including round-trip bus journeys to the stadium. He’s also actually attended a game – Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco – while Trump has been notably absent.
Shorts
We’re less than a week into the World Cup, but it’s hard to see what soft power Trump is exerting. Stadiums aren’t full, hotels are undersold and in vast swathes of this country the World Cup buzz is more of a distant hum.
