U.S. politics threaten to complicate Canada's co-hosting of 2026 World Cup
OTTAWA — With less than a year to go until the 2026 World Cup, political tensions and U.S. policy threaten to pose problems as Canada, the United States and Mexico prepare to co-host the tournament.
Article content
Next year's FIFA World Cup will be the biggest ever, with the three countries hosting a record 48 teams. Between June 11 and July 19, they will play 104 matches, most of them in the U.S.
Article content
Article content
Article content
With millions of fans expected to cross borders to attend the games, U.S. President Donald Trump's harsh immigration policies — which include travel bans on some countries, immigration raids and mass deportations — are generating anxiety.
Article content
Article content
'This is all being driven by the United States. And we're entirely the guilty party here,' said Victor Matheson, a professor at College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts who specializes in sports economics.
Article content
'You could have significant immigration problems with fans and players going across borders.'
Article content
The U.S. has travel bans in place for 12 countries and restrictions in place for seven, and is considering banning travellers from another 36 countries.
Though there are exemptions for athletes, staff and families, the unpredictability of Trump's administration means no one knows for certain what kind of rules might be in place by the time the tournament starts.
Article content
Article content
Economist Andrew Zimbalist, who wrote a book on the economics of hosting the World Cup, said Trump has the ability to make it difficult for people to travel, but it's not clear whether he will actually do so.
Article content
'I think probably Trump himself might not have the answers because … he responds very impetuously to changes in his environment,' he said.
Article content
Concerns about visas or political opposition to Trump might lead some soccer fans to decide not to attend at all, while others opt to attend the games in Canada instead, Zimbalist suggested. But he also pointed out that the quarter, semifinals and final are all taking place in the U.S.
Article content
A spokesperson for Canadian Heritage said Canada could see a million international visitors during the tournament.
Article content
'Given the tri-national nature of the event, it is anticipated that international and domestic travellers will move back and forth between Canada and the United States. The focus will continue to be on the flow of movement, the safety of travellers and the security of the borders,' the spokesperson said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
25 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
U.S. and European Union reach trade pact that sets 15-per-cent tariff on EU goods
The United States struck a framework trade deal with the European Union Sunday that imposes a 15-per-cent U.S. import tariff on most EU goods, including autos, and leaves 50-per-cent levies on steel and aluminum shipments from the continent. The announcement came after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travelled to western Scotland for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at his golf course there. Ms. von der Leyen said the agreed-upon 15-per-cent tariff applies 'across the board' to U.S.-bound shipments from the EU. The deal, while short on details, also includes a commitment by the EU to make US$600-billion of investments in the United States, and to make significant purchases of U.S. energy and military equipment. 'It's a huge deal. It will bring stability. It will bring predictability,' she said. The Editorial Board: Trump's tariff shakedown takes shape The agreement largely mirrors a framework deal that the U.S. clinched with Japan last week, where Japanese automobiles will face a 15-per-cent U.S. tariff but U.S. steel and aluminum levies of 50 per cent remain in place. And it arrives at a critical moment in Canada's own trade negotiations with the Trump administration. Prime Minister Mark Carney faces an Aug. 1 deadline to strike a deal before the White House raises an existing tariff on Canadian goods. Mr. Carney and Mr. Trump have both signalled that a deal by the beginning of next month may not happen, with Mr. Carney saying he will accept only the best deal for Canada. On the U.S.-EU deal, Mr. Trump said: 'We are agreeing that the tariff ... for automobiles and everything else will be a straight across tariff of 15 per cent. Steel is staying the way it is – that's a worldwide thing,' the U.S. President said of his tariffs on foreign steel. Mr. Trump, who is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old U.S. trade deficits with trading partners, has so far also signed agreements with Britain, Indonesia and Vietnam. By comparison, the trade deal the President struck with Britain in May would see British cars subject to a 10-per-cent tariff up to 100,000 vehicles and on shipments above, a 25-per-cent rate. Mr. Trump talked up the new agreement as 'the biggest of all the deals,' with total trade between the U.S. and the EU totalling US$976-billion in 2024, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Given the size of this relationship, the agreement could set a precedent for future U.S. deals, including with Canada. Opinion: Canada, we've already got Trump's best trade deal Since returning to office earlier this year, Mr. Trump has hit Canada with a string of tariffs: 50 per cent on steel and aluminum; 25 per cent on autos; and 25 per cent on any goods traded outside the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, with the exception of oil, gas and potash, at 10 per cent. He has threatened to increase the non-USMCA tariff to 35 per cent if there is no deal by Aug. 1. William Pellerin, a partner with McMillan LLP's international trade group, said the fact that Mr. Trump doesn't appear to be cutting steel and aluminum tariffs, or agreeing to lower baseline tariffs with key trading partners, is not a good sign for Canada. The details of recent deals 'show that the tariffs are stickier than we might have anticipated, even for developed economies and close U.S. allies, which is certainly a bit of a bad omen in some ways for Canada,' Mr. Pellerin said. He said the silver lining for Canada is it 'doesn't look like anyone's going to get better market access to the United States than Canada, even if we do get stuck with a baseline tariff.' Goldy Hyder, president of the Business Council of Canada, said Canada and Mexico are in a different position from other countries. This is both because of the White House rationale for the 25-per-cent tariff on most Canadian and Mexican goods – Mr. Trump cited illegal fentanyl smuggling as one reason – and because of the exemption for products traded in compliance with the USMCA. Campbell Clark: Mark Carney faces the politics of concession Japan and the European Union did not qualify for a USMCA-style exemption and therefore had to 'buy down' tariffs with major commitments to purchase U.S. goods or make investments in the United States, he noted. Mr. Hyder said Canada needs to preserve its special access under the USMCA, which is up for renegotiation in 2026, or possibly sooner. 'Our goal has to be keeping the exemption, and that means preserving and extending the USMCA must be our top priority.' There are some significant trade differences between Canada and the EU – and they work in Canada's favour. For one, Canada is the top destination for U.S. goods exports, according to the USTR, bringing in US$349-billion worth of American goods in 2024. Canada also has a much smaller trade surplus with the U.S. than the EU. Mr. Trump has taken particular issue with such imbalances, which he considers unfair − even when they benefit American consumers. Canada also has an intricately linked supply chain with the U.S. in multiple industries, including automobiles and energy, with many products shipped back and forth across the Canada-U.S. border many times before they are sold to end users. The two countries also have an existing trade agreement, the USMCA, which Mr. Trump negotiated during his first term. Throughout months of talks, European officials threatened reciprocal tariffs on the U.S. and prepared a retaliatory package of tariffs of up to 30 per cent against €92-billion worth of U.S. exports. In the end, however, the EU will not retaliate, despite now facing 15-per-cent tariffs across most goods. Explaining her rationale, the EU's Ms. von der Leyen told reporters that the deal will bring 'stability' and 'predictability.' Yet many key elements of the trade relationship between the U.S. and the EU remain uncertain. For now, Mr. Trump is maintaining his 50-per-cent tariff on steel. And while pharmaceuticals will initially fall under Sunday's 15-per-cent agreement, that is subject to change. More details are also needed on the purchase and investment promises. The EU agreed to purchase US$750-billion worth of American energy products and to also invest US$600-billion in the United States on top of existing expenditures, but it is not clear who will make these investments or how they will be enforced. A similar investment agreement was made by Japan when it announced its own trade deal with the U.S. last week. But within days, Japanese officials started pouring cold water on some of the terms. Mr. Trump had claimed that the U.S. would make 90 per cent of profits on Japanese investments into the U.S., but Japan later pushed back and said its understanding was that profits would be based on the contribution made, and the risk taken, by each party. Tony Keller: As Trump's tariff walls rise, Canada's negotiating leverage is shrinking While Mr. Trump remains far from his initial goal of signing 90 trade deals in 90 days, stock-market investors have been reassured that agreements with major developed countries and regions are finally coming in and that the 15-per-cent tariff rates with major economies are lower than the levels Mr. Trump had threatened during the negotiations. However, 15-per-cent tariffs are much higher than the equivalent rates at the start of the year, and it isn't clear yet who will absorb them − companies or American consumers − because so far, price increases have been muted after companies piled up inventory early in the year. There are signs, however, that some pain is coming − particularly in sectors that Mr. Trump has singled out, including automobiles and steel. Volkswagen reported earnings on Friday and said tariffs cost the company €1.3-billion over the first six months of the year, and that going forward, the German car maker is lowering its operating profit to a range of 4 per cent to 5 per cent for 2025, down from 5.5 per cent to 6.5 per cent.
Calgary Herald
an hour ago
- Calgary Herald
US, China negotiators meet in Stockholm to extend trade truce
Article content While China has denied its responsibility for the flow of the deadly drug, last month it tightened controls over two chemicals that can be used to make the opioid. Earlier this month, Trump praised those moves. 'China has been helping out,' he told reporters. 'We're talking to them and they're making big steps.' Article content For the US, the recent Chinese actions aren't enough, as such moves were required to comply with United Nations measures, according to a person familiar with the trade talks. Chances of reducing the 20% tariff in this round of talks are very slim, added the person who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters, while noting everything could change on Trump's whim. Article content China would be willing to cooperate more on fentanyl, said Sun Chenghao, a professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing. But the US would have to remove the related tariffs, stop blaming Beijing for what it sees as a US domestic problem and provide concrete evidence of crimes, he said. Article content Article content The US business community remains hopeful for progress, with Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, telling Bloomberg TV that movement on fentanyl presents the 'biggest opportunity' in talks. Article content 'That then lowers tariffs on the US side, which then opens the door for China to lower tariffs that lets us sell agriculture, lets us sell airplanes, lets us sell automobiles, that let's us sell energy,' he said. Article content Oil Purchases Article content In his comments announcing the talks, Bessent indicated negotiations can now take on a broader array of topics, potentially including Beijing's continued purchases of sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran. Article content Chinese state media has already pushed back against that idea. 'China won't play along' with such attempts to use China to kill Russia's economy, Lv Xiang, a US expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences last week told the state-run tabloid Global Times. Article content Article content By contrast, China's imports of three major energy products from the US hit almost zero in June, marking the first time in almost three years the Asian nation didn't import any crude oil from its top rival. Deliveries of American crude oil, liquefied natural gas and coal have been subject to Chinese tariffs of 10% to 15% since February. Article content Xi's government has begun rolling back some of its other retaliatory measures since the two sides met last month in London. Crucially, Beijing has boosted shipments of rare earth magnets, while the US relaxed restrictions on sales of less-advanced semiconductors to China. Article content In another potential goodwill gesture, as the Sweden talks were announced this month, China revealed it had suspended an antitrust investigation into the local unit of US chemical manufacturer DuPont de Nemours Inc.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
US and China to talk in Stockholm on trade with eye on Trump-Xi summit later this year
WASHINGTON (AP) — When top U.S. and Chinese officials meet in Stockholm, they are almost certain to agree to at least leaving tariffs at the current levels while working toward a meeting between their presidents later this year for a more lasting trade deal between the world's two largest economies, analysts say. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are set to hold talks for the third time this year — this round in the Swedish capital, nearly four months after President Donald Trump upset global trade with his sweeping tariff proposal, including an import tax that shot up to 145% on Chinese goods. 'We have the confines of a deal with China,' Trump said Friday before leaving for Scotland. Bessent told MSNBC on Wednesday that the two countries after talks in Geneva and London have reached a 'status quo,' with the U.S. taxing imported goods from China at 30% and China responding with a 10% tariff, on top of tariffs prior to the start of Trump's second term. 'Now we can move on to discussing other matters in terms of bringing the economic relationship into balance,' Bessent said. He was referring to the U.S. running a $295.5 billion trade deficit last year. The U.S. seeks an agreement that would enable it to export more to China and shift the Chinese economy more toward domestic consumer spending. The Chinese embassy in Washington said Beijing hopes 'there will be more consensus and cooperation and less misperception' coming out of the talks. With an eye on a possible leaders' summit, Stockholm could provide some answers as to the timeline and viability of that particular goal ahead of a possible meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. 'The meeting will be important in starting to set the stage for a fall meeting between Trump and Xi,' said Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. trade negotiator and now vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. 'Beijing will likely insist on detailed preparations before they agree to a leaders' meeting.' In Stockholm, the two sides are likely to focus on commercial announcements to be made at a leaders' summit as well as agreements to address 'major irritants,' such as China's industrial overcapacity and its lack of control over chemicals used to make fentanyl, also to be announced when Xi and Trump should meet, Cutler said. Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, said Stockholm could be the first real opportunity for the two governments to address structural reform issues including market access in China for U.S. companies. What businesses will be seeking coming out of Stockholm would largely be 'the atmosphere' — how the two sides characterize the discussions. They will also look for clues about a possible leaders' summit because any real deal will hinge on the two presidents meeting each other, he said. Fentanyl-related tariffs are likely a focus for China In Stockholm, Beijing will likely demand the removal of the 20% fentanyl-related tariff that Trump imposed earlier this year, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center. This round of the U.S.-China trade dispute began with fentanyl, when Trump in February imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, citing that China failed to curb the outflow of the chemicals used to make the drug. The following month, Trump added another 10% tax for the same reason. Beijing retaliated with extra duties on some U.S. goods, including coal, liquefied natural gas, and farm products such as beef, chicken, pork and soy. In Geneva, both sides climbed down from three-digit tariffs rolled out following Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs in April, but the U.S. kept the 20% 'fentanyl' tariffs, in addition to the 10% baseline rate — to which China responded by keeping the same 10% rate on U.S. products. These across-the-board duties were unchanged when the two sides met in London a month later to negotiate over non-tariff measures such as export controls on critical products. The Chinese government has long protested that American politicians blame China for the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. but argued the root problem lies with the U.S. itself. Washington says Beijing is not doing enough to regulate precursor chemicals that flow out of China into the hands of drug dealers. In July, China placed two fentanyl ingredients under enhanced control, a move seen as in response to U.S. pressure and signaling goodwill. Gabriel Wildau, managing director at the consultancy Teneo, said he doesn't expect any tariff to go away in Stockholm but that tariff relief could be part of a final trade deal. 'It's possible that Trump would cancel the 20% tariff that he has explicitly linked with fentanyl, but I would expect the final tariff level on China to be at least as high as the 15-20% rate contained in the recent deals with Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam,' Wildau said. US wants China to dump less, buy less oil from Russia and Iran China's industrial overcapacity is as much a headache for the United States as it is for the European Union. Even Beijing has acknowledged the problem but suggested it might be difficult to address. America's trade imbalance with China has decreased from a peak of $418 billion in 2018, according to the Census Bureau. But China has found new markets for its goods and as the world's dominant manufacturer ran a global trade surplus approaching $1 trillion last year — somewhat larger than the size of the U.S. overall trade deficit in 2024. And China's emergence as a manufacturer of electric vehicles and other emerging technologies has suddenly made it more of a financial and geopolitical threat for those same industries based in the U.S., Europe, Japan and South Korea. 'Some enterprises, especially manufacturing enterprises, feel more deeply that China's manufacturing capabilities are too strong, and Chinese people are too hardworking. Factories run 24 hours a day,' Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday when hosting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing. 'Some people think this will cause some new problems in the balance of supply and demand in world production.' 'We see this problem too,' Li said. Bessent also said the Stockholm talks could address Chinese purchases of Russian and Iranian oil. However, Wildau of Teneo said China could demand some U.S. security concessions in exchange, such as a reduced U.S. military presence in East Asia and scaled-back diplomatic support for Taiwan and the Philippines. This would likely face political pushback in Washington. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The Stockholm talks will be 'geared towards building a trade agreement based around Chinese purchase commitments and pledges of investment in the U.S. in exchange for partial relief from U.S. tariffs and export controls,' Wildau said. He doubts there will be a grand deal. Instead, he predicts 'a more limited agreement based around fentanyl.' 'That,' he said, 'is probably the preferred outcome for China hawks in the Trump administration, who worry that an overeager Trump might offer too much to Xi.' ___ Associated Press writer Paul Wiseman contributed to this report
