I was wrong about boycotting the World Cup
Far from a propaganda tool for an autocratic leader, the sporting event showcases Americans' decency on a global stage.
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The 48 countries that sent national soccer teams to the World Cup ignored my advice. Thank God for that.
Back in January, after federal agents killed Alex Pretti and Renée Good in Minneapolis, I called on nations appalled by the state-sanctioned violence and authoritarian push in the United States to boycott the 2026 World Cup, set to be co-hosted with Mexico and Canada.
Past dictators used the Olympics and World Cup to burnish their global image, I wrote. Deny our president the kind of megaevent sporting stage past autocrats have used to great effect.
