World Cup Conundrum

   Three countries will host the World Cup soccer tournament in 2026 -- the U.S., Canada and Mexico. This is a clear vote for open borders and a clear smackdown of President Donald Trump's isolationist policies.
   Granted, Trump won't be president in 2026, even if he is re-elected to a second term in 2020. Unless he tries to suspend presidential elections and the Constitutional two-term limit in a bid to remain in power, as some have suggested he might attempt.
   Trump has already begun to build a wall to keep out Mexicans, and he has threatened punitive tariffs against Canadian firms in the name of "national security."
   Huh?

   The U.S.-Canada frontier is the longest undefended international border in the world, and any attempt to close it or limit access would cause chaos among the many people who live along the border and travel daily to and from the two countries.
   But if Trump tightens border restrictions and they are still in place at World Cup time, that will mean thousands of team supporters will face long delays in traveling to other nations for games.
   Traditionally, the host country automatically qualifies for the tournament, but it's not clear whether all three of the North America host nations will gain a berth in the tourney.
   Typically, the World Cup begins with teams from 32 nations competing in a round-robin opening segment, and over time a total of 80 games are played during the tournament. In the 2026 competition, some 60 games will be played in the U.S., and 10 each in Canada and Mexico.
   This is the first time three nations will host the World Cup. Earlier, Japan and South Korea jointly hosted the competition, but unlike the three North America nations, there is no land border linking them.
   So now the issue for U.S. Border Patrol officers will be how to cope with the many thousands of visitors from other countries visiting to support their home teams as they travel between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
   There are numerous towns on the U.S.-Canada border where the international line splits the town in two, and in some cases goes through a single building, emphasizing the close relationship of the people in each country. Why that easy-going relationship does not happen along the border with Mexico is another question, with some saying the reason is racist.
   But whether the U.S.-Canada border will still be as open in eight years as it is now will depend largely on how and whether Trump's current isolationist, protectionist, "America First" policies cause an "America alone" situation.
   And, of course, there is the ultimate problem feared by some that Trump's avid base will support an attempt to bypass the constitutional two-term limit in the name of "national security" and name him "president for life."
   Don't laugh. It has happened in other countries before.