Aksel Kryhlmand
In early January 2026, football’s biggest tournament was pulled into a geopolitical storm. A US military operation, a White House state dinner and a FIFA award collided, placing the 2026 World Cup at the centre of a global power struggle that no one had planned for.
A week that reordered football and power
The opening days of January 2026 reshaped the political meaning of the World Cup 2026. What began as a security operation in the Caribbean quickly reverberated through football’s governing institutions, diplomatic alliances and the commercial future of the game.
Senior FIFA officials were already privately concerned that escalating tensions involving the United States could spill over into tournament planning, particularly around visas and international participation.
Four figures became unexpectedly linked in this moment. Cristiano Ronaldo, the most recognisable footballer of his generation. Donald Trump, the controversial president. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. And Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s long ruling president, now behind bars.
A metaphor that returned with consequences
In November 2024, Maduro appeared on Venezuelan state television praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. Searching for a sporting comparison, he turned to football.
“He is a born scorer, like Cristiano Ronaldo,” Maduro said at the time.
According to Radar Armenia, the remark was replayed widely across Latin American media as an example of Maduro’s tendency to blend sport and politics.
Fourteen months later, the image resurfaced under radically different circumstances. Ronaldo was no longer a metaphor invoked in Caracas. He was a guest of honour at a White House state dinner hosted by President Trump. Maduro, meanwhile, was being held in federal detention in New York.
The operation that changed everything
On January 3, 2026, US forces launched what the Pentagon later described as Operation Absolute Resolve. According to reporting by the Associated Press, American aircraft neutralised Venezuelan air defences before elite troops entered Caracas.
Maduro and his wife were detained at the presidential palace and transported to a US naval vessel before being flown to New York to face longstanding federal charges related to drug trafficking and narco terrorism.
The Trump administration described the action as a law enforcement operation rather than an act of war. According to the US Justice Department, Maduro was not recognised as a legitimate head of state and therefore not protected by sovereign immunity.
Venezuela’s remaining authorities denounced the move as an abduction. The practical result was immediate isolation. Airspace restrictions, maritime controls and diplomatic rupture followed within days.
A dinner that signalled alignment
As Caracas struggled to respond, Washington prepared for ceremony. Days after the raid, President Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a formal state dinner.
Cristiano Ronaldo, now playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, was seated prominently alongside the two leaders. According to a White House readout cited by Reuters, the guest list was intended to highlight economic cooperation and cultural ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
During his remarks, Trump referenced his youngest son. “My son is a big fan of Ronaldo,” he told the room, adding that introducing them had earned him extra respect at home.
White House social media later shared images of the encounter, describing it as a meeting of “Two GOATS”.
Celebrity as diplomatic capital
The symbolism went beyond spectacle. At the dinner, Trump announced that Saudi Arabia would invest up to one trillion dollars in the US economy.
According to Reuters, sports governance experts view Ronaldo as a central figure in Saudi Arabia’s global rebranding strategy. His presence lends familiarity and credibility to a state frequently criticised over human rights.
The contrast was striking. Years earlier, Maduro had criticised Ronaldo publicly during the footballer’s tax dispute in Spain, using the case to argue for civic responsibility. Now, Ronaldo was thriving in Saudi Arabia’s low tax environment, while Maduro awaited trial in a US courtroom.
FIFA and the price of access
FIFA president Gianni Infantino hovered over the episode. Weeks before the Venezuela operation, Infantino appeared at the Kennedy Center to present Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.
According to The Guardian, the decision alarmed legal scholars and human rights groups, who argued that the award undermined FIFA’s neutrality obligations.
Infantino defended the move as symbolic. Behind the scenes, officials acknowledged the practical stakes. The expanded 2026 World Cup depends heavily on US cooperation for border access, security coordination and taxation arrangements.
Visas, fans and growing resistance
Those political realities soon reached supporters. In January 2026, the Trump administration announced an indefinite suspension of visa processing for nationals of dozens of countries.
While exemptions were promised for athletes, confusion followed. According to AP, several football associations warned privately that fans and support staff might struggle to attend matches hosted in the United States.
Online campaigns calling for a boycott gained traction. FIFA denied widespread ticket cancellations but acknowledged operational challenges.
Some European lawmakers argued the US should face consequences similar to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. FIFA countered that sanctions apply to football associations, not host governments.
Venezuela’s team in limbo
For Venezuela’s national team, the consequences were personal. La Vinotinto remain in contention for a first ever World Cup appearance, aided by the tournament’s expansion to 48 teams.
According to BBC Sport, officials within CONMEBOL fear that diplomatic isolation could make participation logistically impossible even if Venezuela qualify. With consular services suspended, players would likely need to apply for visas in third countries.
The prospect of competing in a tournament hosted by the nation detaining their former president weighs heavily on players and administrators alike.
A shift already under way
The turmoil has accelerated football’s changing geography. While the United States faces political and logistical strain, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a future host with financial certainty and centralised control.
According to Reuters, FIFA officials increasingly view the 2034 World Cup as a stabilising counterweight to the unpredictability surrounding 2026.
The image of Ronaldo alongside Trump and Mohammed bin Salman captured that shift. Influence, capital and spectacle are moving together, reshaping the game’s future far from its traditional centres.
When the pitch met the power map
The events of January 2026 revealed how deeply football is now embedded in global politics. The World Cup, once framed as neutral ground, has become another arena where power is asserted, alliances are displayed and rivals are sidelined.
When Maduro once compared Putin to Ronaldo, he believed he was praising strength. In the end, it was not the scorer who decided the outcome, but those who controlled the tournament, the borders and the rules of entry.
Sources: Reuters, AP, BBC, The Guardian
