President Trump thinks that allowing Russia to compete in the FIFA World Cup could work as an incentive to help bring peace with Ukraine.
Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino hosted the first meeting of the World Cup task force with the two fielding questions from reporters.
With the 2026 World Cup being hosted in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, each country will automatically be given a spot in the group stage.
However, apart from teams that do not qualify, Russia is banned from international soccer competitions in both Europe and the world. In fact, the Union of European Football Associations and FIFA have banned Russian teams at the club level from such international competitions, as well.
‘We hope that something happens and peace will happen so that Russia can be readmitted.’
At the press conference, Trump was asked about the possible participation of Russia in the next tournament, given its ban.
“I didn’t know that, is that right?” Trump said regarding the ban, as he turned toward Infantino.
“That is right. They are banned for the time being from playing,” the FIFA president replied.
Trump then joked, “He is the boss, I am not the boss on that.”
Infantino remarked, however, that he thought if peace could be achieved, perhaps Russia could be reinstated.
“We hope that something happens and peace will happen so that Russia can be readmitted,” the Swiss executive stated in a video posted to X.
Trump added that it was a “possible” scenario that “could be a good incentive” to get Russia closer to peace talks.
“‘We want to get them to stop. We want them to stop,” Trump continued. “Five thousand young people a week are being killed, it’s not even believable, the Russian soldiers and Ukrainian soldiers mostly, also people in towns.”
“Horrible things going on over there, we are going to get that war stopped,” Trump remarked.
Russia has been banned by most international sporting bodies over the war with Ukraine. Perhaps most notably, the recent 4 Nations Face-Off in hockey that featured Canada, Finland, the United States, and Sweden was a tournament that likely would have included Russia, which is widely considered the second-strongest nation in ice hockey after Canada.
Russia has also been banned from the Olympics and Paralympics, although athletes can compete under a neutral flag.
Governing bodies in volleyball, rowing, rugby, and more have levied sanctions against the country for sports.
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