U.S. president Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino inspecting the Club World Cup ball in the Oval Office. (Photo: AFP)

“It’s absolutely crucial that we have this collaboration. This never would have been possible some years ago with the image that FIFA had. We came back a long way. Today, we work in a clear way, in a transparent way, in an ethical way. We’ll bring the world to the United States of America. These are the guarantees the United States government signed at the time of the bidding, and reconfirmed of course. The world will be welcomed.”

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Paul Kennedy is the Editor in Chief & General Manager of Soccer America.