It’s ironic that Italy haven’t qualified for the Fifa World Cup given that the tournament has such a strong whiff of the last days of Rome. This week Donald Trump threatened death upon a “whole civilisation”, which only recently might have seemed like a historic low point for the United States. It’s what Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, said after he handed Trump his honour. World Cup: Fifa president Gianni Infantino shows Donald Trump the trophy in the Oval Office in August 2025. The dreadful prospect of Trump attending US-hosted games while okaying military strikes the same night must, by now, be a real one.

Source: The Irish Times April 11, 2026 10:15 UTC