Standing by my word: why I turned down the 2026 FIFA World Cup

In good conscience I couldn’t go back on my words and take up an offer that seemed too good to be true.

My plan to work at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was scuppered by changing jobs at the wrong time and a visa run. I covered it at a distance, but unlike in 2006 and 2018, nothing beat being there. I was already thinking forward to 2030 when a call came last Summer from a friend in the US. “I told you I wouldn’t forget,” Chris said on a late night call, which was supposed to be about a content distribution deal and interview work.

We met when he’d visited Russia with FIFA, in 2017, and stayed in contact ever since. It was he who’d gotten me a ‘gig’ in Qatar and he promised my name was “top of the list” for future competitions. Since coming into contact with mega-event bidding and preparation for the 2006 edition in Germany, I’d promised myself that if I had a hand in it, I’d be there to see the final product. It happened in 2006 and 12 years later in Russia.

Having assisted the Russian bid in 2009-10, I was thrilled to not alone be working as a match commentator, but also covering the games for my own radio station, Capital FM, and for foreign media too. I even gave Indian media a helping hand when journalists needed guidance navigating Russia. Chris remembered that, plus my involvement in the volunteer training process, the anti-racism campaign, and working on making access easier for fans needing assistance. The first and last were connected with the Russian State Social University, where I was College Director at the time. My “good deeds,” as Chris called them, were not forgotten. So what happened next?

Good News – An Dream Offer

Late last December, Chris confirmed I’d work 10 group and 5 knockout games (including the Final), in two countries, and 7 cities. From Toronto to East Rutherford for $14,000, plus my travel, hotels, and meals all paid for. A daily allowance in the package would allow me to bank the overall lump sum. All during paid holidays. Chris gave me until mid-January to think it over.

A week ago on Friday, he called from the US. I thanked him profusely and said - No. Even my other half thinks I’ve lost the plot. The reason behind saying no to a tidy sum is simple.

It’s not about politics or war or media

One friend who gave me counsel told me that he’d understand if I did it over politics, geopolitics or even ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome.’ I can proudly say no to all of these. Not the US using Ireland as a way station for their weapons and warplanes to cause death and destruction in Palestine, Yemen, Russia, Ukraine. Not their behaviour over Venezuela and Greenland.

It is not the activities of US law enforcement towards illegal migrants, the current situation is an escalation of previous administrations. Not even the clampdown on protests or free speech, my beloved EU has been proscribing individuals for reporting facts and the truth. In fact, while the US media is terrible in many ways, they still have network shows that skewer politicians and business elite from all backgrounds.

It’s not about America or Canada

I’ve been to both countries, and Mexico, and lived in Canada. While my memories of my life there are almost 30 years old, they are mostly fond and positive. Yes I don’t hold Canada very highly as a nation, my daughter lives and studies there, so having time to see her would be amazing. I like the US, from the 11 states I’ve visited from east-to-west and some of the finest people I’ve met in my life are American.

It’s not about my ‘incident’

In April 2017, I was horrified with the US after Amazon tried to make out I was a “politically exposed person” when my brother was setting up an account with them to sell fitness products. It was not that I had recently begun to work with Capital FM, or had written articles critical of corrupt anti-doping programs in the US or UK. It wasn’t even that I was living in Russia, or that an outlet I wrote for sold some of my articles to Russia Today. My poor sibling had to confirm that I was not a ‘head of state,’ ‘member of a royal family,’ or ‘senior judge.’ It was funny, though it made me realise that American law and law enforcement has a very low entry level requirement. But even that wasn’t the reason.

Bullies win, sport loses

When Russia and Qatar were awarded the rights to host World Cups in 2018 and 2022 respectively, I was in Moscow. That night I spoke on Irish national radio and had to listen to ’Little Englanders’ screech and howl that Russia had stolen the game from them. I had to listen to Rod Liddle prattle on about how mega events (World Cups, Olympics) had been going to totalitarian regimes like Russia and China. When I reminded him that in a couple of years the Olympics would be held in London, he howled. So too did his countrymen speaking on behalf of the failed Spanish-Portuguese and Belgian-Dutch bids.

At that moment, I warned that Russia would “not be given a day’s peace, and every dirty, nasty tactic used to strip it of the event.” A day later, on Russian national sports radio, I noted that “while the UK media will scream bloody murder, the worst thing that could happen is that Qatar beat the US.” I said that we can expect non-stop racism, xenophobia, hate, and disruption as the two big Anglo-powers were snubbed.

President Obama set his attack dogs on FIFA, the English media went after Russia, everything possible to discredit and destroy both in a sporting sense was used. FIFA, which is a terrible organisation yet what football deserves, was gutted and US-friendly faces put in charge. Everyone knew that the next World Cup awarded would go to the US.

As a journalist I covered the decision to award the event to the US, Canada, and Mexico, when it was made in Moscow in 2018. I’d predicted the outcome even before the canvassing took place. It was not corrupt, just pure fear from FIFA delegates of offending Washington.

The delegate from Belarus told me, after, that the bullying from other European nations was very real. The majority of Europe pushed for the North American bid, despite Morocco being the better and fairer choice. Rabat figured it would be 5th time lucky and even the Republic of Ireland delegate told me that the North African state deserved it far more. But lawfare, bullying, and might won out. No bribes were needed when you could be renditioned or blacklisted by the US, one of the French delegation told us on Capital Sports.

Regrets, not yet

Turning down the job offer has gotten me more bouquets than brickbats. One football ‘writer’ got in touch and said that he too doesn’t want to go to the USA, for reasons related to Venezuela. He will go as he has “to feed” his family. The sports editor of his newspaper is also dubious about going, but he has to send someone and my friend was the “short straw.” My opinion of those who will work at the FIFA jamboree won’t change. Most are jobbing journos, technicians, or media folk who also love football. With their industry threatened by AI, sceptical advertisers, and falling ad sales, they need to focus on finance.

There are some who, in recent months, have whined about ticket prices, before retreating in self-satisfied over-confidence when FIFA confirmed what they were already planning to do. Performance art of the lowest degree is a trademark for sports media. They will decry match-fixing, while promoting betting sites. They will complain about politics being involved in football, yet cheer when Russia is frozen out, or turn a blind eye to US lawfare to force the World Cup to be awarded to it. In good conscience I couldn’t go back on my word. A bad habit and a luxury, according to a former radio colleague.

He reminded me that, in 2019, when organisers of an event in Moscow asked me to host a ‘show’ with Conor McGregor, I refused. The $5,000 payment was much needed, but in good conscience I couldn’t. On our radio show, Capital Sports, I had called out the Irishman for his apparent substance abuse, poor treatment of women, and the UFC for their terrible records on everything from fighter safety to the ‘sport’ itself. It always amused me that the organiser had upped the fee from $1,000 in order to “secure” me, as they said. Then brought in a last minute replacement – for $1,000.

As producer-host of the same show I knocked back sponsorship from 3 different betting companies (in 2018, 2019 and 2021), because I had voiced opposition to the exploitation of vulnerable people by those same outfits. It cost me, personally, $2,000 per month. Also in 2018, I turned down a very large offer to become the international face and voice of a betting company (1xbet). My reasoning was simple, I didn’t believe in their safety controls, nor in their operations.

Each time, my friends, family, and colleagues questioned my sanity. However, I love sport and love being involved in it. For me, sport is life, just that. I love that in my life I’ve been part of positive changes, even on micro-scales, and that I have ‘turned’ lots of unbelievers into sports lovers. Me not taking up a contract is not going to alter anything that happens this summer, or in the future, globally. Though it means that I’ve backed up my words from 8 years ago. For me, that’s enough.