Donald Trump’s second presidential term will see the United States host two of the biggest sporting events in the world over the next four years. In 2026, the United States – along with Canada and Mexico – will stage the FIFA World Cup, followed by Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. While the political landscape in the United States is likely to shift significantly under a Trump presidency, there may also be significant downstream impacts on these mega-events, as well as a potential significant shift in the attitude of partners, broadcasters, and rights holders towards the United States as a target market should Trump make good on some of his campaign promises.
The FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games are typically accompanied by a message of inclusivity and hope. FIFA has stated that the World Cup is not just a celebration of soccer, but a platform for social change, awareness, and building a platform for communities to come together under a shared ideal, while the Olympic Charter itself states that the Olympic values are focused on excellence, respect, and friendship. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) states that ‘The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play.’ In principle, a Trump presidency should have no impact on these ideals. However, given some of the rhetoric from the president’s campaign, the ‘welcoming the world’ message that usually accompanies both mega events is likely to be tarnished somewhat if accompanied by images of Federal agencies rounding up and deporting migrants at the instructions of the White House.
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The knock-on effect of this may be a financial one. Partner brands may be hesitant to get involved with these events, especially at the price point that usually accompanies a major event – usually more than $40m annually, with certain partners paying significantly more than that. Should Trump push ahead with his promises around deportation and immigration, then major brands may find themselves in a tricky position. Does partnering with an event in this political climate suggest tacit endorsement of these policies, or will they look to position themselves as ‘staying out of politics’ in this event, trying to disassociate themselves from the policies and just focusing on sport?
This will particularly impact on the IOC, which has three gaps in its TOP inventory, with Bridgestone, Panasonic and Toyota all ending their association with the Olympic body.
If US brands that have sympathies to the new political landscape in the US are willing to get involved, then that may solve one problem, but does the IOC want that type of association in its partner programme?
While sponsors and partner brands may look to ignore the potential shift in policy regarding migrants, what may be harder to ignore is any potential legislation that actively restricts people entering the United States. With Mexico a host nation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will a Trump administration make it harder for people to cross into and from Mexico – what would the impact of this be?
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By GlobalDataImmigration has been cited as a key issue in the election, and last year’s Copa America which took place in the US saw friction and crowd trouble, with fans from Colombia heavily involved, while organization and security was heavily criticized by coaches and players alike. If the rhetoric seen in the campaign is dialed up over the next 18-24 months, this may be a challenging tournament for FIFA, who will want to replicate the 1994 World Cup’s impact on growing soccer in the United States.
Trump’s main appeal to voters in the 2024 election has been around improving the economy, but if the Copa America is any guide, ticket prices for the World Cup in 2026 are likely to be high, meaning many may be priced out of attending unless his administration is willing or able to instigate pricing controls across the country. Even international leagues such as Spain’s LaLiga, which has long targeted the United States and actively wants to play competitive games there, may think twice should Trump’s plans around deporting immigrants and border controls come to pass.
Also of note is Trump’s close relationship with various international leaders, most notably Vladimir Putin from Russia, and Mohammad Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, with both those nations engaging in contentious issues that a Trump administration may look to influence. In the case of Russia, would a Trump administration be able to exert any influence over the readmission of Russia into the international sporting family, most notably allowing athletes from that country to compete at the next Olympic Games.
With Russia initially partially banned due to doping scandals, and then almost entirely excluded from global sport following the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine, US support for Ukraine is likely to be scaled back under a Trump presidency, meaning that without European support, Ukraine will likely have to submit to Russian intentions and take a peace deal, resolving the conflict and paving the way for Russian reintegration into global sport.
In the case of Saudi Arabia, their focus has been on golf’s PGA Tour and taking a controlling interest, and then potentially merging that property and the LIV Golf Public Investment Fund-backed series. Given Trump’s close ties to the country, Saudi influence in the United States, and the incoming president’s love of golf, it is conceivable that Saudi Arabia’s influence over that sport extends even further.
While there are certainly some concerning aspects for the sports industry with a Trump presidency, those concerns are unlikely to be felt by domestic US sports leagues, however. Athletes in the NFL, NBA, and WNBA have been outspoken about social issues, with NFL TV viewership severely impacted following Colin Kaepernick’s taking of the knee during the national anthem during the first Trump presidency, and the backlash to those protests was severe with the likes of LeBron James told to ‘shut up and dribble’ by Fox News host Laura Ingraham when he voiced concerns about Trump. However, despite the adverse reaction from the viewership to athletes taking the knee and the ‘Black Lives Matter’ messaging that adorned NBA jerseys, the value of franchises has continued to grow, and franchise sales have hit record highs in both the NBA and NFL. Whether those views on injustice are shared by the owners is another matter – Jerry Jones famously kneeled in solidarity with his players before shifting his stance to say that the Dallas Cowboys would not support players who chose to demonstrate during the anthem while his son Stephen, general manager of the Cowboys, suggested that any player protesting during the anthem would find themselves without a team.
The owners of US sports teams in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and most significantly the NFL, have contributed heavily to Trump’s presidential campaigns and numerous other Republican races. Miriam Adelson, the new majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is known as a Republican ‘mega-donor’ and has poured at least $20m into her Preserve America political action committee backing Donald Trump’s presidential campaign while investing tens of millions more into down-ballot races across the country. Rob Walton, the new owner of the Denver Broncos and heir to the Walmart chain, donated at least $13.8m to conservative groups and campaigns over the last election cycle. David Tepper (Carolina Panthers), Bill Foley (Las Vegas Knights), Woody Johnson (New York Jets), Ray Davis (Texas Rangers), Charles Johnson (San Francisco Giants) have all made significant contributions to either the Trump campaign or Republican campaigns in general, as well.
Only Arthur Blank of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons has donated significantly to the Democratic Party, meanwhile.
What this suggests is that US sports teams and leagues are likely to see either support, or at least the maintaining of the status quo, from the incoming administration in terms of policies and impact. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) promotion, led by Dana White, a prominent Trump supporter, will no doubt look to capitalize on a Trump Presidency to further drive and enhance its commercial operations under its new structure as part of the TKO Group.
While the impact of a Trump presidency on the US sporting landscape is currently unknown, some of the divisive rhetoric that was a part of the election campaign will likely be a concern for many. What most will hope is that it will be business as usual across the US sporting sector and that the inflammatory rhetoric that worried so many internationally is just that.
What is undeniable is that Trump now has the backing of a majority of US voters, who will look to show that America is most certainly great again in both 2026 and 2028, when the eyes of the world will be trained upon it. For a showman like Trump, the stage is now set.
