Certified Bully

A day before the World Cup final, New York is covered in a thick layer of smog from Canadian wildfires, turning large parts of the northeastern United States gray. A symbolic conclusion to a World Cup that became a celebration of magnificent football in packed stadiums, but was also marked by extreme weather, human rights violations, and political interference.

FIFA critic Jules Boykoff doesn't have to think long about the question of what stood out most for him outside of the sport: "The reversal of that red card, following political pressure from President Donald Trump. I think that will go down in history as one of the biggest controversies in World Cup history."

With a single phone call to FIFA boss Infantino, the president managed to overturn the automatic suspension of American star player Balogun. "You really have to see that as a message to a domestic audience: that he is a strong leader who can keep international organizations in line. He can bend FIFA to his will."

The political scientist calls it sportswashing : using sport for political gain. Boykoff: "Trump does that more than any other modern American president." He believes this cannot be seen in isolation from the upcoming parliamentary elections. "His base is dissatisfied with his war on Iran; there is disappointment regarding the Epstein files. He wants to show that he is still in control."

Many not welcome

A Somali referee who was denied entry, players detained at the border, fans denied visas: the list of absentees was long. "This is a World Cup in a place where the world is not welcome," says Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch (HRW). "While the Haitian team played at the World Cup, hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the US lost their temporary residency status."

"You cannot judge this World Cup without looking at who is missing," says Lily Dong Li Rosengard of LGBTI rights organization ILGA World. "The LGBTI community is conspicuously absent because many people do not feel safe coming to the US."

"A visa is a privilege, not a right," says Andrew Giuliani, Trump's 'World Cup chief'. At a press conference, he tries to counter the criticism. "We have proven that you don't have to choose between welcoming millions of international visitors and keeping citizens and visitors safe," says Giuliani. "Americans fell in love with the World Cup and the world fell in love with America again."

There were fears beforehand of ICE operations during the World Cup. As far as is known, arrests did not occur around the stadiums. But according to Daniel Noroña of Amnesty International, the World Cup thus became a distraction from what was happening off the pitch. "Because deportations, arrests, and the unjust and cruel immigration policy simply continued."

Protest against ICE

A few kilometers from the stadium where the final is being played, protests have been ongoing for months at a detention center run by the immigration service ICE. There are concerns about food shortages and access to medication. Detainees also have hardly any access to a fair trial, says Noroña.

According to HRW, 55 people have died in ICE detention centers so far during Trump's second term. There have also been fatalities on the streets. "Just last week, two fathers were shot by ICE while on their way to work," says Worden.

Just enjoy

Fans of Argentina and Spain have their own opinions about it. "That red card… if our president called, Infantino wouldn't answer," says an Argentine fan.