Politics
The 2026 World Cup, Drawn: Soccer Hits Trump’s America
By CM Chaney · June 30, 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has arrived on American soil — co-hosted with Canada and Mexico — and the world’s biggest sporting event is colliding head-on with Trump-era border politics, immigration crackdowns, and FIFA’s appetite for cash. Editorial cartoonists from around the globe have weighed in. Here are twenty of the sharpest takes. From ICE […]
The 2026 World Cup, Drawn: Soccer Hits Trump's America
The 2026 World Cup, Drawn: Soccer Hits Trump's America Cagle Cartoons
Trump as Referee Rejects World Cup Entries Over Immigration
On June 11 2026 Donald Trump appears as a soccer referee in a cartoon rejecting national team entries to the World Cup. He stamps passports from Somalia Mexico Canada and Iran with large rejected marks while holding the trophy. A dejected figure with a globe for a head stands nearby on the pitch. Cagle Cartoons
Trump and Infantino Clash Over 2026 World Cup Cash
The cartoon shows Donald Trump holding a trophy marked Infantino as money flies around him. Text declares the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, tying the scene to the tournament hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada. Cagle Cartoons
Iran Conflict Missile Threatens 2026 FIFA World Cup in US
A soccer ball marked FIFA World Cup in the U.S. rests on a green field while a missile labeled War in Iran plummets toward it. The image from March 2026 highlights risks to the 2026 tournament from Middle East instability. Publication coincides with ongoing concerns over regional conflicts affecting international events hosted by the United States. Cagle Cartoons
Trump Ball Sends FIFA Player Flying in World Cup Boycott Scene
A soccer player wearing a FIFA jersey falls backward on a green field after impact from a large orange ball bearing Donald Trump's face and hair. The scene includes the hashtag #BOYCOTTWORLDCUP in the upper area and responds to calls surrounding the 2026 World Cup. Cagle Cartoons
Trump's Likeness Tops FIFA World Cup Trophy Held by Infantino
The image depicts the FIFA World Cup trophy transformed with Donald Trump's face as its centerpiece. Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, holds the base firmly. Several soccer players stand nearby, including figures resembling Kylian Mbappé and others in national kits. Cagle Cartoons
FIFA leadership guards revenue streams from American soccer events
The image presents a bald man wearing a blue FIFA goalkeeper kit and oversized yellow gloves. He stands centered in a soccer goal with multiple burlap sacks printed with dollar signs placed on the field grass nearby. The scene responds to ongoing discussions about FIFA revenue from the upcoming World Cup hosted in the United States. Cagle Cartoons
ICE Officers in Hockey Gear Stand Ready at World Cup Field
The image shows five ICE agents dressed in hockey protective gear and holding sticks on a grassy field next to a soccer ball. A FIFA sign appears on the left. The agents wear vests labeled ICE and stand in a line facing forward. The scene references the upcoming 2026 World Cup hosted in North America. Cagle Cartoons
Border checkpoint form asks football or soccer for World Cup entry
At a U.S. immigration checkpoint an applicant sweats over a form that forces a choice between football and soccer for World Cup purposes. An ICE officer stands ready nearby while another official watches from behind glass. Cagle Cartoons
Trump Stands Ready with Attack Dog for World Cup Arrivals
Pat Bagley's cartoon shows a Trump-like border officer holding a welcome sign for the 2026 World Cup while his dog attacks a player in a striped uniform. The scene draws on immigration enforcement imagery at a time when the tournament is set for North America. Cagle Cartoons
ICE Agents Detain Player During World Cup Match on MAGA-Branded Field
On a soccer field covered in MAGA branding, ICE agents in military-style gear detain a player in yellow and red uniform. One agent carries a soccer ball while another restrains the fallen player. Banners read FIFA-MAGA and MEGA-MAGA behind the action. Cagle Cartoons
Modified US Flag Shows Soccer Ball for 2026 World Cup
The image presents a modified American flag with a soccer ball replacing the stars in the canton. The flag waves from a pole against a solid background. Publication occurs during the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The design places the sport at the center of national symbolism. Cagle Cartoons
Trump Prepares Soccer for 2026 World Cup
Donald Trump appears in four panels dated June 2026 preparing for the FIFA World Cup hosted by USA Canada and Mexico. He carries a rock shaped like a ball then paints it to resemble a soccer ball. A player numbered 5 kicks the ball and ends up on the ground while Trump points at him. Cagle Cartoons
World Cup 2026 spotlight reveals stark urban divides across host nations
The June 2026 cartoon by Dario Castillejos depicts a segmented globe where modern stadiums and skyscrapers stand beside crowded shantytowns. Smoke drifts from a debris pile in one sector. The image coincides with preparations for the FIFA World Cup hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States. Cagle Cartoons
Ebola lurks as World Cup player enters U.S. customs
A cartoon depicts a World Cup soccer player in a red jersey arriving at a U.S. border checkpoint. A customs officer asks if he has anything to declare. An anthropomorphic Ebola virus character nearby urges hand washing. The FIFA logo appears on a barrier. Text welcomes visitors to America in Spanish. Cagle Cartoons
New U.S. World Cup Jerseys Hide Waldo in Plain Sight
The cartoon shows a dense crowd of spectators wearing the new red and white striped U.S. World Cup jerseys. The top text notes that the uniforms make it much harder to locate Waldo among the fans. The image references the 2026 tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Cagle Cartoons
Iran scores in the Iran War Cup against the US
A soccer match on a green field features Iranian players in red jerseys celebrating as a tall figure in a top hat leaps toward the goal with its head detached and flying. The scoreboard reads Iran 1 USA 0 under the Iran War Cup title, with the date set in June 2026 amid ongoing Middle East tensions. Cagle Cartoons
FIFA Leader Drinks Coins on Field Amid Hydration Rule
The image shows the FIFA president on a soccer field drinking from a bottle filled with gold coins that spill onto the grass beside a soccer ball. Stadium seating fills the background with a blue FIFA sign visible. Large white text labels the scene as a hydration break. Cagle Cartoons
Hockey Night in Canada laid to rest as World Cup soccer crowd demands respect
The image depicts the symbolic funeral of Hockey Night in Canada during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A Mountie salutes while a beaver weeps beside the coffin labeled Hockey Night in Canada. A large crowd of soccer supporters fills the background waving flags from many nations and holding soccer balls. Cagle Cartoons
Trump as Statue of Liberty Holds 2026 World Cup Ball and Custom Bill
The cartoon portrays Donald Trump with the body of the Statue of Liberty, one arm raised holding a soccer ball marked FIFA World Cup 2026 and the other holding a $250 bill featuring his own image, set against the backdrop of the 2026 tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Cagle Cartoons
Trump Vows World Cup Win for Iran in FIFA Meeting
On June 21 2026 the cartoon depicts Donald Trump assuring a figure labeled Iran of a World Cup win while a FIFA official looks on with concern. The scene references Trump's past statements on international deals and the upcoming tournament hosted partly in the United States. Cagle Cartoons
Statue of Liberty Raises Soccer Ball for World Cup 2026
The image shows the Statue of Liberty arm holding a soccer ball atop an ornate base against a solid yellow field. Dated June 8 2026, the visual marks the approach of the FIFA World Cup hosted in part by the United States. Cagle Cartoons
FIFA Peace Prize depicted as cereal box toy in cartoon mocking Trump award
A political cartoon published December 7, 2025, shows three children comparing prizes pulled from cereal boxes. The rightmost child holds a gold FIFA medal labeled Peace Prize while announcing the find. The scene references FIFA's recent decision to award the medal to Donald Trump following his omission from the Nobel Peace Prize list. Cagle Cartoons
Qatar World Cup Draws Line on Soccer Play
A soccer player in traditional robes prepares to kick a ball marked with a prohibition symbol toward a goal defended by another robed figure lying across the net. The scene references restrictions during the 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar, where religious and cultural rules limited certain expressions of the sport. Cagle Cartoons
FIFA Removes Russia From World Cup Over Ukraine Invasion
On March 11 2022 FIFA barred Russia from the World Cup and other soccer competitions due to the invasion of Ukraine. The cartoon shows a shirtless Vladimir Putin standing under a storm cloud as a hand labeled FIFA kicks away a ball marked Ukraine. Putin reacts with dismay in a thought bubble reading not the ball. Cagle Cartoons
World Cup Opens on a Pitch Paved with Cash
The cartoon depicts a soccer player about to kick the official 2022 World Cup ball inside a stadium. The playing surface consists entirely of stacked hundred-dollar bills instead of grass. A second player in matching red uniform appears distressed and runs away from the action. Cagle Cartoons
Study Ties Frequent Soccer Heading to Lower Average IQ
A cartoon published November 29, 2022, illustrates research from USA Today on soccer players and IQ. Players heading the ball ten or more times per game average 103 IQ. Those heading once or less average 112. The image shows one player with a damaged head and another preparing to head the ball. Cagle Cartoons
Argentina Claims 2022 World Cup Title in Dramatic Final
On December 18, 2022, Argentina defeated France to win the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The illustration shows a radiant sun face held by a hand in team colors. The image captures the moment of national celebration following the tournament final. Artist Kap signed the work in the lower left. Cagle Cartoons
Uncle Sam Yawns While Fans Cheer World Cup Soccer
On November 29 2022 the cartoon shows Uncle Sam dozing with a Z thought bubble as two animated soccer players react with excitement and soccer ball bubbles. The scene captures American disinterest during the FIFA World Cup hosted in Qatar. The contrast highlights ongoing national detachment from the global event despite surrounding enthusiasm. Cagle Cartoons