The Beautiful Game’s Ugly Betrayal
By: Marcela Ventura
Soccer or Fútbol, a game that has become part of Hispanic culture and a passion that is passed down from generation to generation. If you grew up in a Hispanic household, you likely spent an afternoon or a weekend watching a soccer game with your family or at least talking about the subject, especially during World Cup season. From qualifiers to the final stages, you were there supporting your country or your favorite team. Screaming every goal and living every second of the game. Of course, this is not necessarily applicable to everyone, but it can be applicable to most.
In fact, according to the World Population Review, soccer is the leading sport in 152 countries out of 206 countries, making it the most played sport across the world. The majority of the countries where soccer is the main sport are located across Latin America, Africa, and Europe. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Hispanics are driving soccer viewership in the U.S. and are the “cultural and economic engine behind the sport’s economic success” and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)
Like most sports, there is a leading governing body, and for soccer, that is FIFA. Through the years, FIFA has organized multiple soccer events around the world, bringing people from different backgrounds together, transcending language, race, and religion, but the most important one is the World Cup. The World Cup takes place every 4 years, and this year the tournament will be taking place across North America: the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
During the Final Draw, which took place on December 5, 2025, Trump was given FIFA’s first Peace Prize. The Final Draw is traditionally a ceremony where teams are sorted into their groups and learn who they will be facing, but this time, the event was also made to honor Trump. FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino, and Donald Trump already had an established friendship prior to the event, with Infantino having praised Trump on multiple previous occasions and the work he has done as president. Infantino has even publicly stated that everyone “should support what [Trump] is doing because I think it’s looking pretty good,” and at the draw ceremony declared that Trump “definitely deserves the first FIFA Peace Prize.” Handing Trump the FIFA Peace Prize, an award that is meant to honor exceptional actions for peace and unity, can be seen as unwarranted and underserved. Trump’s immigration policies can be argued to be far from embodying the meaning of peace and unity. These policies have primarily targeted one of FIFA’s most loyal fan bases through mass deportation and the effort to end birthright citizenship.
The behavior of Infantino and, therefore, FIFA can feel like a betrayal of one of its most loyal groups, the Hispanic community. Paradoxically, the National Football League (NFL) has focused on diversifying its audience in recent years by sending the message of unity and diversity, even going so far as to invite Bad Bunny to headline its halftime show. Having a Spanish-speaking artist, who has been outspoken about current U.S. politics, created huge controversy in the U.S., but the message of inclusion was clear, particularly for the Hispanic community. Even if the NFL did this as a means to grow its viewership and fanbase, hence increasing its income, it made the community feel seen and validated in a political environment where they are being targeted.
FIFA, on the other hand, by showing its support for Trump and his ideologies, is harming the same community that has remained loyal to the sport for years. Not only has Trump constantly made harmful accusations and comments about Hispanics and Latin America, but his policies also heavily targeted these communities. With multiple reports expressing their concern about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence at World Cup games, adding the already massive presence of ICE across the U.S., FIFA is not only denying its loyal supporters the opportunity to enjoy one of the most anticipated sports events in the world, but also failing to protect its loyal supporters from Trump’s harmful deportation tactics. These tactics have been particularly harmful to families, women, and girls.
While men face higher risks of deportation due to their employment being primarily outside the home, that alone has its own set of harmful consequences, particularly to their mental health. Women continue to face greater risks due to deportations. If women are deported, they are at higher risk of gender-based violence exposure and health complications if not given the proper medical attention. On the other hand, if a woman’s partner is deported and there are children involved, she is now left with no support and has to take full responsibility for the household. This can even lead her to pursue unsafe employment opportunities. Even if she was already financially contributing, she is now responsible for every bill while managing childcare for children who are experiencing the trauma of a parent’s sudden absence – a wound the WPS agenda recognizes as intergenerational.
FIFA should be speaking up and supporting one of its biggest fan bases, but instead, FIFA has chosen to remain silent and side with a leader who is targeting women, immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, and other minorities. The WPS agenda recognizes that peace cannot be built on the exclusion of communities. When governing and influential bodies like FIFA legitimize leaders whose policies fracture families and displace populations, they become complicit in insecurity.
FIFA needs to be held accountable for betraying the very community that supports it. While boycotting the games would be ideal, it cannot be expected. First, World Cup tickets are extremely expensive, and only a limited group of people can actually afford to attend. Second, asking people not to watch the biggest and most anticipated sporting event in the world is unrealistic – and would ultimately punish fans, not FIFA. Instead, people can resist in more meaningful ways. Creating dialogue and educating others about FIFA’s political alignment ignites accountability. Social media campaigns and organized protests have proven to drive institutional change and can help apply real pressure. Businesses hosting watch parties can donate a portion of their proceeds to organizations supporting immigrant communities and those affected by deportation policies. This allows organizations to share resources and information during the event, turning a moment of celebration into one of solidarity.
The Women, Peace, and Security agenda exists exactly for moments like this, not only to defend the participation and security of women, but also for those communities that have long been ignored, targeted, and displaced. Fútbol began as a language without borders — a game that could communicate joy, identity, and belonging across continents and generations. When the institution governing that game chooses to legitimize a leader whose policies fracture families and endanger the very people who built its global fan base, it does not just betray its fans. It betrays the promise of the game itself. Sport is not exempt from accountability. If FIFA truly believes in the values it claims to represent, in particular its strategic objective number 6, then it must demonstrate it. It is not just about adhering to governing human rights principles, but supporting and advocating for the communities that have helped FIFA get to where it is today.
Author Bio
Marcela Ventura
Marcela Ventura is in her last semester of the Master of Arts in International Affairs program at the Elliott School. Her concentration is on Latin American studies, and her interests lie at the intersection of Latin America and women’s security. Having a B.A. in Criminology, she currently works as a victims advocate in D.C.