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Defector

Luis Paez-Pumar

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) and United States of America President Donald Trump (R) look on following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, United States.

Soccer

Gianni Infantino Is Putting The World Cup Up For Sale


<p>Leander Schaerlaeckens is a long-time soccer writer, currently contributing to <i>The Guardian </i>and elsewhere. He is the author of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/722130/the-long-game-by-leander-schaerlaeckens/"><i>The Long Game: U.S. Men&#8217;s Soccer and its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts</i></a>. He teaches journalism and sports communication at Marist University. He will cover his fourth World Cup in 2026.</p>


A photo of the author Leander Schaerlaeckens taken by Asha Fuller.

Leander Schaerlaeckens

U.S. President Donald Trump reacts next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino after presenting the FIFA World Cup Winner's Trophy to Spain in the World Cup Final. Trump's kind of leaning like there's a very heavy wind.

FIFA Got What It Came For

Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States fouls Tarik Muharemovic #4 of Bosnia and Herzegovina which is later reviewed by VAR and awarded as a red card foul a during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.

The Folarin Balogun Red Card Brouhaha Is A Vintage FIFA Disaster

Billy Haisley

U.S. President Donald Trump poses for photographs with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the Oval Office at the White House.

FIFA Makes Good And Right And Not At All Corrupt Decision To Rescind Folarin Balogun’s Red Card Suspension

Sohini Desai

Colombia's singer Shakira holds the Jo'bulani football that will be used for the final of the tournament during a press conference on July 10, 2010 at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, South Africa.

A Brief History Of The World Cup Song

Iranian fans greet the players after the 2026 World Cup Group G football match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 15, 2026.

Iran Forced Out Of U.S. Immediately After Playing Best Match Of World Cup

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump on the red carpet prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw

Border Security Theatrics Are Rising At History’s Stupidest World Cup

Tom Ley

FIFA Will No Longer Allow Fans To Bring Water Into World Cup Stadiums

Gianni Infantino: We’re Just Here To Extract Wealth From You American Hogs

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<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
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Abigail Segel

Arts And Culture

Jules Boykoff’s ‘Kicking’ Is Clear-Eyed And Warm-Hearted

General view inside of the Levi's Stadium on June 3, 2024 in Santa Clara, California.

Poor Suckers Who Ponied Up For Expensive World Cup Tickets Boned By FIFA

Patrick Redford

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 11: FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Owner Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots react on the sideline prior to an NFL wild card playoff game between the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Boston’s World Cup Stakeholders Are Squabbling Over Money

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald J. Trump sign a football during a World Cup 2026 ceremony after a state dinner at the Lusail Palace on May 14, 2025, in Doha, Qatar.

FIFA Says Yes To Racism

Players of Seattle Sounders pose for a team photograph before the MLS match against Minnesota United on June 01, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle Sounders Players Protest For Fair Share Of Lucrative Club World Cup Bonuses

Barry Petchesky

David Roth

Kathryn Xu

Metlife Stadium across the Hackensack River in Secaucus, New Jersey, on June 15, 2023. Activist Bill Sheehan has turned mountains to clean up the river, polluted by industry, ten kilometers (6.2 miles) from Manhattan, even if much remains to be done. "It didn't take me long to realize that the river needed a full-time advocate," he says of the hemmed in by an ultra-dense urban grid. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Let Us Discuss What The World Cup Final Means For “New York New Jersey”

Fans protesting the establishment of the breakaway European Super League demonstrate outside Stamford Bridge stadium, home of Chelsea Football Club, in London, United Kingdom on April 20, 2021. Chelsea is one of six English Premier League clubs to have signed up to the planned midweek competition, announced on Sunday night in defiance of condemnation from football authorities and political leaders including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The European Super League Is Undead

A general view of the performance as Saudi Arabia is displayed on the LED Screen during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final Draw at Doha Exhibition Center on April 1, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

Saudi Arabia Will Host The 2034 World Cup

Dunedin Stadium is pictured ahead of the FIFA World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 on July 11, 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand.

FIFA Struggling To Fill Stadiums In Remote Soccer-Indifferent Country With Nobody In It

World Cup trophy prior to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar.

The Big World Cup Is Getting Bigger

A board signifying 14 minutes of first half stoppage time is seen during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group B match between England and IR Iran at Khalifa International Stadium on November 21, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

Where Is All This World Cup Stoppage Time Coming From?

Internationals

England Beat Iran While FIFA And Qatar Beat Everyone Else

World Cup Teams Back Off Plan To Wear Rainbow Armbands

Gianni Infantino Loses His Grip On The World Cup

An empty Budweiser beer stand at Fan Festival ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 on November 18, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

FIFA Is Getting The Beerless World Cup It Deserves

Liverpool fans show a Ukrainian flag to indicate peace and sympathy with Ukraine prior to the Carabao Cup Final match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on February 27, 2022 in London, England

FIFA