A Chaotic and Politicized World Cup Lumbers Toward Kickoff

On Dec. 5, Gianni Infantino, the president of football’s worldwide governing body, awarded the FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump. FIFA had just come up with the award, which consisted of a trophy, medal and certificate recognizing him for his many peacemaking accomplishments. Wearing his medal, the US president stood glowingly onstage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (two weeks before his name would be added to the building). A month later he would send US special forces to Venezuela to capture the country’s president, and the next month he and Israel’s leader would ...