Commentary: Instead of a soft power coup, the World Cup could be an ‘own goal’ for Donald Trump

The World Cup could have been a soft power coup for Donald Trump. Instead, it may be an own goal.

Trump's 2026 World Cup epitomizes exclusion—25% tariffs on co-hosts, visa denials for African supporters, exorbitant tickets contradict FIFA's unity message. The tournament illustrates soft power's fragility: without genuine openness, geopolitical self-interest overrides international collaboration.