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

鈥淭he unity of the three nations鈥� was the overriding theme articulated by Carlos Cordeiro, then-president of the U.S. Soccer Federation. 鈥淎 powerful message,鈥� 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 鈥� 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 鈥� reciprocal tariffs 鈥� starting Wednesday.

It鈥檚 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鈥� travel plans and more.

鈥淥h, I think it鈥檚 going to make it more exciting,鈥� was Trump鈥檚 take during last month. 鈥淭ension鈥檚 a good thing.鈥�

Will the world come to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics?

Given that the U.S. also is preparing to welcome the world for FIFA鈥檚 Club World Cup in June, golf鈥檚 Ryder Cup in September and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, the question becomes: Will the world want to come?

And, taking Trump’s border and visa policies into account, will the world be able to?

Alan Rothenberg, who ran the 1994 World Cup and successfully oversaw the bid to host the 1999 Women鈥檚 World Cup as then-president of U.S. Soccer, thinks the answers to those questions are 鈥淵es.鈥� Pointing to concerns about the last two World Cups, in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, he noted those still attracted attendance totals above 3 million apiece.

鈥淧eople love the United States around the world 鈥� frankly, we wouldn鈥檛 have the immigration issue that we鈥檙e dealing with if that weren鈥檛 the case 鈥� so a lot of this is government-to-government,鈥� Rothenberg said. 鈥淎 passionate soccer fan is not going to be held up by that.鈥�

He doesn鈥檛 think one of the host nations would drop out of the World Cup, say, or that other countries might boycott, as happened at the 1976, 1980 and 1984 Summer Olympics.

鈥淢ore than anything, they鈥檒l see it as an opportunity for, perhaps, rapprochement, rather than escalating the tensions,鈥� Rothenberg said.

鈥淏esides, from an organizing standpoint, if either Canada or Mexico withdrew” from the World Cup, he said, “the U.S. would pick up the games in a heartbeat.鈥�

Spectators booing the U.S. national anthem

Still, as the White House stance on tariffs and Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine have put Europe on edge, and relations with other countries have become fraught, it might not be a surprise if soccer stadiums for the U.S. games at the World Cup offer the same sort of anti-American sentiment heard when spectators in Canada booed 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥� during hockey鈥檚 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

FIFA, soccer鈥檚 governing body, did not respond to Associated Press requests for comment, but Infantino has never hidden his admiration for Trump, which he often demonstrates via . They have met at least five times since the U.S. election in November.

Last week, when Kirsty Coventry was elected president of the International Olympic Committee 鈥� becoming the first woman in that position 鈥� she was asked how she would work with Trump and what she would tell athletes about traveling to the U.S. for the next Games.

鈥淚 have been dealing with, let鈥檚 say, difficult men, in high positions since I was 20 years old,” Coventry said with a chuckle, “and first and foremost, what I have learned is that communication will be key. That is something that will happen early on. And my firm belief is that President Trump is a huge lover of sports. He will want these Games to be significant. He will want them to be a success.”

Referring to concerns about whether the administration might deny some athletes visas, she added: “We will not waiver from our values 鈥� of solidarity in ensuring that every athlete that qualifies for the Olympic Games has the possibility to attend the Olympic Games and be safe during the Olympic Games.鈥�

The overriding assumption among those involved in the Olympics is that Trump will assure the 2028 Games are a success.

As U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee chairman Gene Sykes put it: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 speak for him, but I think he鈥檚 the kind of person who probably believes that having these go very, very well is a reflection of his leadership.鈥�

Will Trump鈥檚 tariffs and other policies affect soccer鈥檚 World Cup?

鈥淭he most likely outcome is that Trump鈥檚 nonsense won鈥檛 have an impact,” said Smith College professor Andrew Zimbalist, an expert on the economics of sports.

鈥淢y guess is that if relations between Canada and the U.S. deteriorate to the point that there are travel restrictions and spending restrictions,” Zimbalist said, “Trump would 鈥� just like he鈥檚 making exceptions all the time on his tariffs policies 鈥� make an exception for a month or six weeks.鈥�

The U.S. and Canadian soccer federations declined AP requests for comment on how White House policies might affect the 2026 World Cup.

Gabriela Cuevas, who represents Mexico鈥檚 government in meetings with FIFA, said she considers the tariffs and the soccer event 鈥渟eparate issues,鈥� adding that she believes 鈥渢he World Cup could be a route to engage in a conversation.鈥�

Observers tend to agree, saying logistics such as security cooperation or team transportation from city to city 鈥� or country to country 鈥� should not be hampered when it comes to the World Cup, scheduled to take place in 16 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

The borders might become an issue, though.

鈥淭he main thing FIFA needs to move for this event is not car parts, and it鈥檚 not wheat, and it鈥檚 not electricity. It鈥檚 people. That鈥檚 your real concern,鈥� said Victor Matheson, an economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.

鈥淲hat were previously pretty reasonable border crossings could become much more challenging, simply because both sides amp up their level of inspections and the United States, in particular, cuts down government services that allow people to move effectively between countries.鈥�

As for the fans, 29-year-old Mexican businessman German Camacho Pacheco said 鈥渟occer is religion鈥� in his country, so when it comes to the World Cup, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they care about tariffs.鈥�

Camacho, wearing the Monterrey club jersey of defender Sergio Ramos while on the way to watch a game at a sports bar in Mexico City, said he doesn鈥檛 expect there to be any effect at all on the World Cup 鈥渦nless this goes from a trade war to an actual war.鈥�

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AP writers Greg Beacham in Inglewood, California; Nancy Benac in Washington; Ronald Blum in New York; Graham Dunbar in Costa Navarino, Greece; Eddie Pells in Denver; Anne M. Peterson in Portland, Oregon, and Carlos Rodriguez in Mexico City contributed.

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Howard Fendrich is an AP national writer. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports