Can the US, Mexico and Canada set aside their differences as they co-host the World Cup?
With World Cup 2026 opening matches approaching, trade and migration tensions among Washington, Mexico City and Ottawa are casting a shadow over the tournament's operations. The three countries are preparing new joint protocols to coordinate border crossings and security.
BBC Latin AmericaFIFA President Gianni Infantino, speaking after a Miami meeting with the heads of the three host confederations, said 'we are seeing very strong operational coordination'. Yet the Trump administration's expansion of 'forced labour' tariffs, together with countermeasure warnings from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, complicates the diplomatic picture. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reiterated his request for a 16-year USMCA renewal.
Nearly three million fans a day are expected to cross borders during peak weeks. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told the BBC in a written reply: 'A unified fan-credential programme will be live from 1 February.' Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente said a reciprocal mechanism to shorten visa-waiver processing had been signed.
Confederation economists project the tournament could add about $14 billion in net GDP across the region. But Christopher Hernandez-Roy of the Center for Strategic and International Studies warned: 'If diplomatic friction grows, logistical bumps could trim that estimate.' This is not investment advice.
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