US President Donald Trump has issued a stark threat to a World Cup co-host nation just months before the showpiece tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place across 11 American cities – Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle – while matches will also take place in Canadian cities Vancouver and Toronto, as well as Mexican cities Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey.
The tournament will get underway on June 11 with Mexico taking on South Africa in a repeat of the opening match of the 2010 World Cup.
Canada will play the following day (June 12), but their opponent has yet to be decided as not all participants are confirmed, before the USA face Paraguay on June 13.
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And despite co-hosting the tournament, Trump has recently issued threats towards both Canada and Mexico.
After the US took military action against Venezuela and Nigeria over the past month, the President also threatened Mexico, suggesting that drug “cartels are running” the country.
“It’s very sad to watch and see what’s happened to that country,” Trump said when he spoke to FOX on January 9.
Then, on Saturday (January 24), the 79-year-old threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on Canadian goods if the nation’s prime minister, Mark Carney, agrees to a trade deal with China.
Trump posted on Truth Social: "If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.”
This comes after Carney announced that Canada and China had reached a trade deal on electric vehicles after meeting with President Xi Jinping.
Trump has not elaborated on the details of the proposed tariff.
Back in 2025, Trump announced a new 35 percent tax on goods from Canada that don’t fall under the two countries’ free trade agreement.
The relationship between Carney and Trump appears to be a frosty one currently, after the Canadian Prime Minister was uninvited to join the US President’s new ‘Board of Peace’ on Thursday (January 22).
The board, which Trump heads as chairman, is aiming to act as a new international organisation for resolving world conflicts.
“Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said on Thursday. “Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Also on Thursday, Carney explained how the US and Canada have a “remarkable partnership” before adding that “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States”.
Trump has previously described Canada as America’s “51st state” and accused the country of relying on the US. Concerns also remain in relation to the Trump administration's visa freeze and travel resrictions which may impact fans of several World Cup nations - including Brazil, Colombia, and Haiti.
What is a trade tariff?
As per Gov.uk, a trade tariff is effectively a tax added onto products entering a country from overseas. The tariffs are used to protect companies in the nation from foreign competition by raising the price of importation.
For example, a 100 percent tariff on a £10 product would effectively make it a £20 product. This may then cause the importing company to decide to import fewer products to the country imposing the tariff.
Topics: Donald Trump, Football World Cup, FIFA World Cup
Luke Davies