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President Donald Trump wants the World Cup back on American soil, and this time he’d prefer to skip the roommates. Speaking at a FIFA World Cup reception on July 15, ahead of the final match between Spain and Argentina, Trump called on FIFA to award the 2038 tournament exclusively to the United States.
The pitch comes while the 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, is still underway.
The backdrop: America’s World Cup moment
The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks the first time since 1994 that the US has played host to the tournament. It’s also the first edition to feature 48 teams, a significant expansion from the traditional 32-team format that defined the competition for decades.
FIFA hasn’t publicly responded to the proposal. The formal bidding process for the 2038 World Cup won’t begin for several years. But Trump’s public lobbying, delivered at an official reception with global media present, is a clear signal of intent.
Why crypto markets should pay attention to mega-sporting events
Major international sporting events have become proving grounds for crypto-adjacent technologies. Prediction markets, fan engagement tokens, and tokenized ticketing platforms have all found natural homes in the ecosystem surrounding events like the World Cup, the Olympics, and major league championships.
Polymarket, the prediction platform that surged to prominence during the 2024 US election cycle, represents exactly the kind of infrastructure that thrives on high-interest global events.
Fan tokens, pioneered by platforms like Chiliz and Socios, saw significant trading volume during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. National team tokens and club tokens experienced price spikes correlated with match results and tournament progression.
Political signals and market positioning
Trump’s push for a US-exclusive World Cup fits a broader pattern of leveraging international platforms for domestic economic benefit. Trump expressed satisfaction with the preparations for the 2026 tournament, indicating a robust infrastructure and fervent local enthusiasm for US-centric sporting events.
Investors monitoring the intersection of sports, entertainment, and crypto should watch for any formal FIFA response to the 2038 bid, which would signal whether the proposal has legs, and how crypto-native companies position themselves around the remainder of the 2026 tournament.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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