World Cup host report card: full stadiums, empty wallets

78 matches done, two to go

Your World Cup as host wraps up Sunday. The United States staged 78 of the tournament's 104 matches, and only two remain: the third-place playoff and the final (1).

The atmosphere delivered. Stadiums were full. The affordability grade is another story, ticket prices locked plenty of fans out (1).

Infantino and Trump: the shadow over the tournament

FIFA president Gianni Infantino's closeness to Donald Trump has stained this World Cup, and the Balogun saga made the bargain visible in real time (2). The suspension vanished after the White House got involved. Balogun admitted the noise reached the locker room.

The question now is what lingers after the final whistle on Sunday. A host nation that threw a memorable party, yes. But also a tournament where the line between football and politics disappeared in front of everyone (2).

Fan reactions

The mood in US supporter circles is split. Plenty of pride in how the country handled hosting duties, but the round of 16 exit still stings. The pay-to-play debate has not cooled off, and fans are asking the same question the Guardian posed: if a nation of 340 million cannot get past Belgium, maybe the problem is not the players.

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