Can Trump Win Over MAGA Voters With the 2026 World Cup?
Mar 16th 2026
Trump is pushing the 2026 World Cup and deepening ties with FIFA, testing whether a sport that now skews young and progressive can attract MAGA-aligned voters as its US profile grows.
- President Trump has publicly promoted the 2026 World Cup and strengthened ties with FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino, linking the tournament to his brand.
- That growing association between Trump and FIFA has given the event a political tone for some voters.
- American soccer fans today tend to be younger, immigrant-heavy and broadly more progressive, especially among organized supporter groups.
- MLS protests and clashes over immigration policy have already made soccer a site of political dispute in the United States.
- Soccer's rapid growth through youth play, immigration and star signings like Lionel Messi is expanding the sport into suburban and more conservative communities.
- Experts say a successful US campaign at the World Cup would be the clearest route to converting skeptical MAGA supporters into regular soccer fans.