The World Cup & the Olympics Deserve a Better Host

What happens when the world comes to an America that’s more closed off than ever?

The FIFA Club World Cup is not the most glamorous soccer tournament around. It doesn’t have the history of the World Cup or the mind share of the UEFA Champions League, but it is an international competition that features well-known clubs like Chelsea, Flamengo, Bayern Munich, and others. This year, the tournament is being held in the United States — the first time it has been held in the Western Hemisphere since the inaugural tournament in 2000, which was held in Brazil.

In a since deleted Facebook post, the US Customs and Border Protection stated that it would be on site in Miami to provide security for the opening match between Al-Ahly and Inter Miami. With ongoing raids and anti-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) protests, this announcement suggested that fans coming into the country for the tournament should have documentation to avoid being detained.

These fears loom large as the Club World Cup is the tourism appetizer that will precede a massive double entrée of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028. As families are torn apart and immigrants are being detained inhumanely, there must be a seed of doubt that surrounds the competency of the United States as a viable host for these…