Why FIFA (or Trump) Can’t Spoil the World Cup Party episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 8, 2026 · 25 MIN

Why FIFA (or Trump) Can’t Spoil the World Cup Party

from CNN One Thing · host CNN Podcasts

President Donald Trump’s request for FIFA to review a controversial red card against US striker Folarin Balogun has raised questions about fairness and preferential treatment at the World Cup. But experts say soccer’s governing body has long been open to possible political influence and corruption. We explore how that came to be and why fans continue to love the tournament despite FIFA.  For more: Breaking down 36 disastrous hours for American soccer as World Cup bubble bursts  ---  Guest: Simon Kuper, Financial Times reporter and co-author, ‘Soccernomics’  Host: David Rind  Producer: Paola Ortiz  Showrunner: Felicia Patinkin Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 8, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Why FIFA (or Trump) Can’t Spoil the World Cup Party

0:00 25:59

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of CNN One Thing?

This episode is 25 minutes long.

When was this CNN One Thing episode published?

This episode was published on July 8, 2026.

Can I download this CNN One Thing episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!