Remember back in 2018, when the United States, Canada and Mexico celebrated their successful bid to co-host the 2026 World Cup?
Now that the big event is less than a year away — and U.S. President Donald Trump has unleashed a tariff war on his country’s closest trading partner — things have gotten a bit awkward.
Offside, to borrow a soccer term.
Political tensions, combined with Trump’s immigration crackdown, are threatening to overshadow the largest-ever FIFA World Cup, with the three countries set to host a record 48 teams.
Will some international fans get caught up in Trump’s travel ban? And how does Canada play co-host to the world alongside a country that is openly threatening its very sovereignty?
We tackle those questions, and many more, with our guest on tonight’s Closer Look podcast: Tim Elcombe, a kinesiology professor at Wilfrid Laurier University who studies the connected world of sports, politics and international affairs.
Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.
New episodes of Closer Look drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network, or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].