Elizabeth Schmidt

“Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico, and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year.” Those were the words of FIFA President Gianni Infantino following a meeting of the 54 Confederation of African Football (CAF) member association presidents in Nairobi, Kenya, last year. For anyone paying attention, it is clear that Infantino’s words were hollow, especially when it comes to the United States.

While the days leading up to the FIFA World Cup are usually marked by celebratory welcome ceremonies by host nations, the narrative consuming this year’s build-up has focused on the prohibitive entry conditions imposed by the Trump administration on various players, fans, and match officials.

What is an Arab? In the US, where race is a particularly potent myth with real consequences, they have long been categorized as white—until Biden-era proposals for a new Middle East and North Africa (MENA) category emerged for the 2030 census, only to be potentially delayed by the Trump administration.