Was the 2026 World Cup a success or failure for FIFA, Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump?

Spain have won the World Cup, defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final on Sunday thanks to a late strike from Ferran Torres.

The final whistle marked the end of the 23rd edition of the competition, and fans will remember a number of historic footballing moments, ranging from the emergence of Cape Verde on the international stage to Kylian Mbappe establishing himself as the tournament's all-time leading scorer.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino hailed the 2026 World Cup as the best version ever held, echoing sentiments from US President Donald Trump, whose country hosted the vast majority of matches this summer.

However, while the competition was lucrative financially, there were also a number of off-pitch controversies that distracted from the spectacle of the sport.

Here, Sports Mole examines whether the World Cup was a success for FIFA and Donald Trump.

Gianni Infantino and FIFA: Was the World Cup a success?

The measure of success will be different to different people, but the competition likely achieved most of FIFA's ambitions.

Infantino went to great efforts to increase revenue and commercialise the World Cup, and there is no doubt that he achieved his aims.

A report from The Guardian claims that the tournament generated $15bn (£11.2bn) in revenue, far exceeding the $11b projected by FIFA prior to this summer.

Extraordinary ticket prices, the expansion to 48 teams and a number of other money-making avenues allowed the organisers to earn significant sums.

Perhaps the most frustrating element of the summer for FIFA was that the final itself did not live up to expectations, with many lamenting the occasion as the most boring end to a World Cup in living memory.

The introduction of a half-time show and hydration breaks - which conveniently split games into quarters - were quite evidently tailored to US audiences, especially those that might have a more casual or passing interest in football.

However, the attritional nature of Spain's win in the showpiece event will almost certainly not have entertained newer fans, and the unsavoury scenes displayed by Argentina after the full-time whistle only compounded the disappointment of the occasion.

For Infantino on a personal level, the 2026 World Cup has all but secured his future as president of FIFA given the expansion to 48 teams was not only widely accepted by fans but also by member associations, and he will be a popular figure amongst those footballing bodies as he allowed more countries the chance to compete at the finals.

It remains to be seen if a new wave of football fans emerge from the US, but FIFA will view the most recent World Cup as an unmitigated success.

Donald Trump and the US: Was the World Cup a success?

President Donald Trump is never far from controversy, and he repeatedly found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

The 80-year-old's decision to intervene directly in the sport by encouraging FIFA to look at the red card Folarin Balogun received against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32 sparked global outrage.

Trump publicly bragged of his involvement in FIFA's decision to suspend Balogun's ban, and his successful intervention sent a clear message; political figures were now able to directly impact matters on the pitch.

The President set a dangerous precedent, and it only served to reinforce his global image as someone willing to dismiss rules, norms and traditions.

Indeed, the fact he lingered on stage as Spain lifted the World Cup was bizarre, and it was telling that the Spanish FA opted to edit him out of their celebration photos.

The President's perception was also not aided by the fact World Cup participants Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast, and Senegal had issues obtaining visas for ordinary supporters due to restrictive travel bans, while Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry and unable to officiate at the tournament.

To suggest that Trump's political policies were unpopular with competing nations would be an understatement, and no other side were impacted more than Iran, who were forced to leave the country to their base in Mexico immediately after their first group game against New Zealand.

The Iranian national team were also unable to bring critical members of their backroom staff to the US, leaving them at a significant sporting disadvantage, and the difficulties they faced strengthened claims that the World Cup was becoming increasingly politicised.

If Trump wanted the tournament to improve his image, then there is a real argument that this summer was a catastrophe.

The legacy of the 2026 World Cup for Trump and Infantino

The financial success of the World Cup for FIFA means another US bid for the right to host the competition will have a strong chance of succeeding, and few should be surprised if they are awarded the 2038 edition.

While many fans reported positive experiences when interacting with each other - Boston was a particular multi-cultural hub during the summer - others will be left with a bitter feeling after being subject to controversial policies, while fans across the board were hit by exorbitant pricing.

Both Trump and Infantino suffered reputational damage during the World Cup, but fortunately for the FIFA president, he is not elected by the public and his power is instead given to him by member associations.

Everyone at football's governing body will internally see the 2026 World Cup as a thorough success, and while Trump may believe it was a success for him as well, the reality is far different.