Trump Announces Himself as Head of 2026 World Cup Task Force Amidst Travel Concerns

2025-03-08 06:00:48.367

President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order establishing a White House task force for the 2026 World Cup that will oversee preparations for the high-profile tournament. The task force, first reported by OutKick, will be chaired by Trump. Vice President JD Vance will serve as vice chair and an executive director, to be named later, will run day-to-day operations. The task force will coordinate with federal agencies to plan and execute the massive job of hosting both the 2025 Club World Cup and the World Cup a year later, the draft fact sheet outlines. More than 8 million international visitors are expected to come to the US for the monthlong tournament that kicks off in June 2026. Trump said he does plan to attend some matches. Trump was president in 2018 when the US won the bid to co-host the tournament with Canada and Mexico and views bringing the expanded 48-team soccer showcase to the US as a significant accomplishment. He at times has had a replica of the World Cup trophy displayed behind his desk in the Oval Office. He said the current tensions with Mexico and Canada will “make it more exciting.” The president signed the executive order on Friday, a day after CNN reported that travel executives were concerned over the nation’s preparedness to host the quadrennial tournament. US Travel Association president and CEO Geoff Freeman and MGM Resorts International president and CEO William Hornbuckle previously told CNN Sport they questioned whether the US travel system is prepared to handle the influx of foreign travelers expected in next summer’s soccer extravaganza. The worries are numerous: Lengthy wait times for fan visa approvals could discourage thousands from trying to come to the US for the tournament. Outdated technology and staffing shortages could lead to long waits for visitors who arrive in the US to clear customs. Long lines to get through security could potentially snake all the way outside of airports. One of the things, they said, that the federal government could do to start readying was form an interagency task force inside the Trump White House to streamline the preparation process among federal agencies. Freeman and Hornbuckle said that while they believe Trump takes the task of successfully hosting the tournament seriously, his administration has not yet shown the urgency they’d like. One of the main things they’d like to see is an interagency task force set up by the White House to coordinate planning for the World Cup across the sprawling federal government. However, on Friday, Freeman “applauded” the establishment of the task force, calling it a “critical action” that will “ensure a seamless and secure experience” for all visitors. The administration, according to the draft fact sheet, is kicking the readiness into high gear. The draft fact sheet suggests that hosting the World Cup is an opportunity to unite the nation and reinforce the United States’ role as a top destination for major world sporting events. Joining the president for the announcement was FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who said the tournament would create around 200,000 jobs and have an economic impact of around $40 billion. An estimated eight million foreign travelers are expected to come to the US for the tournament, which kicks off in June 2026.