Does the World Cup have a Trump problem in the Bay Area?

"When President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced in August that the World Cup draw - which will determine team groups for the 2026 games, some of which will be played in the Bay Area - would take place Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a video circulated globally showing a grinning Trump wearing a red hat that read, "Trump Was Right About Everything.""

""It's for winners only, and since you're a winner, you can touch it," Infantino said, handing the World Cup's 14-inch, 13.5-pound, 75% pure gold trophy to Trump. "Can I keep it?" Trump said. "I am not giving it back." The exchange was emblematic of a relationship that blossomed between the U.S. president and the president of soccer's governing body as the United States prepares to host a majority of the matches in next year's global tournament."

"In early November, Infantino and FIFA created a peace prize to be awarded during the draw ceremony on Friday, when national teams will be assigned to twelve groups of four each; the official locations, venues and times for these matches will be announced a day after. It is widely assumed that the prize will go to Trump, who has been coveting public recognition for his perceived global peace efforts."

President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino set the World Cup draw for Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with some 2026 matches slated for the Bay Area. A video showed Trump wearing a red hat reading Trump Was Right About Everything. Infantino handed Trump the 14-inch, 13.5-pound, 75% pure gold World Cup trophy and Trump said he would not return it. Infantino has fostered a friendly relationship with Trump, attending the inauguration and a peace summit in Egypt. Infantino and FIFA created a peace prize widely assumed to honor Trump. FIFA positioned Trump as the face of the 2026 World Cup, hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States, despite his unpopularity in several U.S. host cities including the Bay Area.

Read at The Mercury News