has long tried to speak the language of unity while operating in intensely political spaces. That tension is not new.
That is why this latest episode matters. It is one thing for politicians to attach themselves to football. It is another if is seen to be publicly honouring a sitting president with a made-for-occasion award.
Even before this report, the 2026 World Cup looked certain to carry political weight. A tournament spread across three countries was always going to depend on cross-border cooperation, government planning and the wider tone set by public leaders.
There will be obvious flashpoints:
That does not mean the football will be overshadowed every day. It does mean the idea of a politically neutral tournament already looks unrealistic.
The most striking part is that may have chosen to move first. Rather than keeping public distance from political figures, the governing body appears to have stepped into the frame. That invites bigger questions about consistency, judgment and the image wants for its showpiece event.
The next test will come as 2026 planning intensifies. Every ceremony, statement and photo opportunity will now be examined closely - and may find it much harder to argue that politics sits anywhere outside the stadium gates.