Potential Implications of Trump’s Presidency for the Sports Sector

Following Donald Trump’s re-election as President of the United States, prominent sports figures, including golfer Bryson DeChambeau and UFC president Dana White, were notably present on stage during his victory speech in Florida on Wednesday. Mr. Trump is known as an avid golfer and proprietor of numerous golf courses. This event highlighted the re-elected president’s ties to the sports community ahead of a second term, during which the United States is scheduled to host the 2026 football World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. Mr. Trump is anticipated to have a significant public role at both events. The question arises regarding the potential effects of some of his policies on the realm of sports. Mr. Trump has pledged to implement mass deportations of undocumented migrants and to finalize the construction of a wall along the nation’s southern border, a project initiated during his initial presidency. These proposed policies are expected to escalate diplomatic strains with Mexico, which is a co-host of the 2026 World Cup along with Canada, potentially causing apprehension among supporters concerning travel between the two nations. In his first presidential term, concerns arose that Mr. Trump’s immigration measures, such as a travel ban affecting specific countries, might jeopardize the United States’ eligibility to host the tournament for a second time. Recently, Mr. Trump committed to re-establishing the travel ban that restricted entry for individuals from predominantly Muslim nations. Nevertheless, he had previously assured Fifa that supporters of qualifying teams would be granted access to the U.S., and Gianni Infantino, the governing body’s president, who is recognized for his close relationship with Mr. Trump, appeared to welcome his return to the White House. The United States holds significant importance for Mr. Infantino, given its role as host for the inaugural edition of his contentious, newly expanded 32-team Club World Cup in 2025. This event, designed to generate substantial revenue, has encountered difficulties in securing commercial and media engagement and has prompted legal proceedings from the global players’ union. The United States will mark its 250th anniversary during the 2026 World Cup, observing the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which will further amplify the president’s global prominence. It remains to be seen if some of his more polarizing and provocative statements concerning immigrants will cause certain businesses to reconsider sponsoring the event, due to apprehension about being linked with the president. This week, Mr. Infantino (pictured left, with Trump in 2018) extended his congratulations, stating: “We will have a great Fifa World Cup and a great Fifa Club World Cup in the United States of America! Soccer unites the world” Mr. Trump has pledged to prohibit all transgender women from participating in female sports competitions. He consistently highlighted this topic throughout his election campaign, including in television advertisements aired during sports broadcasts that criticized transgender athletes. Previously, he has denounced trans-inclusive teams, asserting that such inclusion endangers women’s sports. Mr. Trump’s statements may resonate positively with individuals concerned about the implications of transgender inclusion for fairness and safety in female athletic contests. However, with the 2028 Games scheduled for Los Angeles, some observers are apprehensive that this stance could lead to conflict with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which permits individual sports to establish their own gender eligibility criteria. Furthermore, Mr. Trump has publicly ridiculed Olympic women’s boxing champion Imane Khelif, who secured a gold medal at Paris 2024, one year after her disqualification from the World Championships for reportedly not passing gender eligibility tests. In Republican party campaign videos released shortly before the U.S. election, Mr. Trump questioned the fighter’s biological sex, presenting it as an instance of what he asserted was “speaking the truth” being labeled “hate speech” under Joe Biden’s administration. Imane Khelif, an Algerian athlete, and her Olympic association have consistently affirmed that she was born a woman and identifies as a woman. The IOC has denounced the “abuse” directed at Khelif, attributing it to “prejudices and culture wars,” and has declared the fighter eligible to compete in women’s boxing. It remains to be seen whether Olympic preparations will be impacted should there be a recurrence of past tensions between Mr. Trump and certain Democrat politicians holding influential roles in California. Potential friction with the Paralympic community could also arise before LA 2028. Mr. Trump previously denied allegations that he mocked a disabled reporter with a congenital joint condition at a 2015 rally. Three years subsequent, the International Paralympic Committee also reprimanded him for remarking that the Pyeongchang Paralympics were “hard to watch.” A prominent issue in the sports world over the last decade has been accusations of ‘sportswashing,’ occurring amidst unparalleled investment, hosting, and sponsorship activities by Middle Eastern nations. Nations like Qatar and Saudi Arabia have consistently refuted claims that they employ sports to divert attention from human rights abuses by their authoritarian regimes, and have accused Western critics of hypocrisy. The question is whether this argument might gain more acceptance following Mr. Trump’s return to the White House, given that he is a convicted felon whom his adversaries have characterized as a “fascist” and a danger to democracy. Sporting organizations may now encounter difficult inquiries regarding hosting their major events in a nation where the constitutional right to abortion was revoked in 2022 by the Supreme Court, which gained a conservative judicial majority after Mr. Trump’s initial presidency. Additionally, the U.S. has experienced over 600 mass shootings annually for the past four years, with Mr. Trump advocating for gun rights. During Mr. Trump’s first administration, Amnesty International recorded “extensive damage to human rights,” further stating that safeguarding these rights in the U.S. “means ending gun violence and guaranteeing adequate healthcare for all, including abortion.” The human rights organization also noted that the U.S. ranked fifth globally in the number of executions last year, with 24, while Saudi Arabia was third with 172 executions. Fifa asserts its “full commitment” to upholding human rights during tournament staging. However, with the implications of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup hosting and Saudi Arabia’s unopposed bid for the 2034 event already under examination, Mr. Trump’s electoral success could bring the 2026 tournament into renewed scrutiny as well. Bryson DeChambeau, a two-time US Open champion, was present on stage during Donald Trump’s victory speech. As the US PGA Tour engages in prolonged discussions with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) regarding a potential merger intended to resolve a division in men’s professional golf caused by the breakaway LIV circuit, Rory McIlroy suggests that Mr. Trump might facilitate an end to the impasse. A prospective agreement is expected to encounter resistance from the Department of Justice, which harbors concerns about a potential violation of anti-competition laws. However, Mr. Trump has indicated his capacity to resolve golf’s “civil war,” which has led to numerous prominent players being barred from the PGA Tour. Mr. Trump has commended the profitable LIV tour, and five of its tournaments have been hosted at his courses since its establishment in June 2022. He maintains strong connections with Saudi Arabia and has also played golf with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who is a potential candidate for tour chairman if the reported £1bn ‘peace deal’ receives approval. Under Mr. Trump’s presidency, Saudi Arabia’s influence in golf appears poised for expansion. UFC was the other sport highlighted during Mr. Trump’s victory speech, with its president, Dana White, invited to deliver his own address on stage. Having Mr. Trump as an ally could prove advantageous for the UFC as it continues to confront legal challenges concerning its operational practices. This year, TKO Group, the owner of the UFC, reached a £281m settlement with former fighters who alleged that the MMA promotion hindered athletes’ capacity to negotiate alternative promotional opportunities. Vladimir Putin (right) described Donald Trump as a “courageous man” in his congratulatory message following Mr. Trump’s election victory. Mr. Trump’s adversaries have accused him of fostering a close relationship with President Vladimir Putin. Given Russia’s current exclusion from international sports due to its invasion of Ukraine, questions are being raised about whether Mr. Trump might exert influence on organizations like the IOC to lift their ban and allow Russian competitors to return. Mr. Trump has also pledged to mediate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which, if successful, could facilitate Russia’s reintegration into the global sporting community. Furthermore, Mr. Trump has proposed implementing new tariffs of at least 10% on most imported goods, aiming to reduce the trade deficit. He has indicated that imports from China could face an additional 60% tariff. Such trade barriers and any subsequent retaliatory tariffs could be detrimental to sports leagues like the NBA, which seeks to expand its global operations and is interested in hosting games again in China, among other nations. Mr. Trump’s protectionist trade policies could pose challenges for Fifa, which recently secured Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer Hisense as the initial official partner for the upcoming year’s Club World Cup. It is also questioned whether import tariffs might complicate the IOC’s efforts to attract sponsors for the Olympics. During Mr. Trump’s first term, sports and politics frequently intersected in the U.S., with his presidency seemingly catalyzing a new period of heightened athlete activism. In 2017, he strongly criticized the NFL and players who knelt during the customary pre-match national anthem as a demonstration against racial injustice and police brutality targeting African-Americans, a movement initiated by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Mr. Trump accused them of lacking patriotism and engaged in disputes with several prominent U.S. sports figures, including NBA legends LeBron James and Stephen Curry, and footballer Megan Rapinoe. Some teams declined invitations to the White House in objection to his policies. Basketball coach Steve Kerr became a notable voice of dissent against Mr. Trump’s suspension of the U.S. refugee program. In 2020, multiple leading athletes, including James, initiated a campaign aimed at encouraging greater participation from Black communities in the presidential election, which Mr. Trump lost by a narrow margin. The 2024 election campaign witnessed both presidential contenders garnering endorsements from numerous sporting personalities. It would not be unexpected if U