LONDON — The World Cup kicks off on June 11, with the build-up to these finals no less contentious or controversial than the tournament in Qatar four years ago, reported PA Media/dpa

Here, the Press Association looks at the backdrop to the North American extravaganza, and what to look out for when the action begins.

How did we get here?

Fifa awarded the finals to the United States (US), Canada and Mexico back in 2018, during Donald Trump’s first term as US President.

Since his return to the presidency in January 2025, Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been a regular presence at the White House, with some believing the relationship between the two men is uncomfortably close, given Fifa’s statutory obligation to political neutrality and Trump’s polarising approach.

Fifas decision to award Trump a Peace Prize just over two months before US airstrikes on Iran drew criticism and mockery in equal measure.