Politics, participation and the FIFA World Cup 2026: What U.S. sports fans think

The FIFA World Cup is widely considered the most popular sporting event globally. According to FIFA, roughly 5 billion people engaged with the FIFA World Cup 2022 and an estimated 1.5 billion tuned in to the final between Argentina and France in what many consider as one of the greatest sporting events of all time.

With dozens of national teams and millions of expected visitors crossing borders for the FIFA World Cup 2026 coupled with heightened global political tensions, questions have emerged about the relationship between sport and politics. To better understand how sports fans themselves view these issues, YouGov's May 2026 Sports Poll surveyed 1,016 U.S. sports fans to dive deeper.

The Intersection of Politics and the FIFA World Cup

For the first time in its history, the tournament will expand from a 32-team format to 48 national teams. It will also mark the first time the spectacle is co-hosted by three countries: The United States, Canada and Mexico. While the new format promises more nations, more matches and greater global representation, it also raises questions about the intersection of sport and politics.

While FIFA and host countries have generally indicated that qualified teams and accredited personnel will be permitted to compete, concerns have been raised regarding visa access for players and supporters from certain countries.

Iran's qualification has generated attention amid diplomatic tensions with the United States and reports of visa complications involving players, team officials and supporters. At one point, discussions emerged about potentially barring Iran from the tournament, before FIFA president Gianni Infantino rejected the idea.

“It is important to keep the FIFA World Cup separate from Politics”

Over 75% of U.S. sports fans Strongly or Somewhat Agree that the FIFA World Cup should be separate from Politics.

78% of both the youngest and oldest generations agree with the statement, compared to 74% of those aged between 34-54. While overall agreement is relatively similar across generations, those aged 55+ were the most likely group to ‘Strongly agree’ with the statement at 64% compared to only 52% of the youngest age group.

Soccer Fans and World Cup watchers show even higher levels of agreement, with just under 90% saying the tournament should be separate from the surrounding political climate.

Political Tensions and World Cup Participation

Iran’s situation remains at the forefront of controversy surrounding the 2026 tournament amid heightened tensions with the United States. The Iranian Football Federation sought assurances from FIFA and host governments regarding visa access, security, travel arrangements, and other operational conditions, arguing that it should be allowed to compete on equal terms as all other participating nations.

After negotiations, mediated by FIFA, a compromise was reached in which Iran switched its host city from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, despite all its Group G matches being played in the United States. Under this arrangement, Iran will remain based in Mexico and travel to Los Angeles and Seattle for matches before returning to Tijuana afterward. Critics argue that requiring a team to repeatedly cross an international border places Iran at a competitive disadvantage and raises broader questions about equal treatment at the world’s biggest sporting event.

“Regardless of political tensions, all qualified nations should be able to participate in the FIFA World Cup.”

While the level of agreement with the statement may vary based on individual circumstance, 3-in-4 U.S. sports fans believe that all qualified nations should be able to participate in the FIFA World Cup regardless of existing political tensions.

79% of the youngest U.S. sports fans agree that political tensions should not impact participation, compared to 73% of those aged 55 and over.

The Hosts’ Obligations

The controversy extends beyond players and official staff. In the months leading up to the tournament, fans from several qualified nations faced uncertainty over whether they would be able to attend their nation’s matches in the United States. Citizens of Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia were initially subject to a U.S. visa bond program requiring travelers to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 as a refundable security deposit before receiving a visa. Critics argued that this policy created a significant financial barrier for supporters hoping to attend the FIFA World Cup and undermined the tournament’s goal of bringing nations together through sport. After much debate, the bond was ultimately waived for ticket-holding World Cup fans, though concerns over visa access and travel restrictions remain, particularly for supporters of these African nations.

“Host nations should be required to guarantee entry for all qualified teams, players staff and fans.”

Guaranteed entry for players, staff and fans shows more mixed results.

The youngest generation (75%) is 10 percentage points more likely to agree than the oldest generation (65%).

The gap is even more pronounced when comparing soccer fans and FIFA World Cup watchers to the average U.S. sports fan. 85% of soccer fans and FIFA World Cup watchers agree with the obligation placed on host nations, making them 16 percentage points more likely to agree compared to U.S. sports fans.

Overall, U.S. sports fans broadly support keeping the FIFA World Cup separate from politics, though opinions become more complex when participation, visas and host nation responsibilities are considered.