USA Today columnist Nancy Armour faced renewed criticism after her commentary on WNBA star Caitlin Clark and her earlier prediction that American greed and hostility would tarnish the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted largely in the United States.

Before the tournament began, Armour declared that high ticket prices and entry restrictions reflected a "hateful and greedy nation," saying, "It will not change the fact that we have shown ourselves to be a hateful and greedy nation, one where leaders are only willing to welcome a world as they want to see it rather than as it exists, and the love of the game is exploited for top dollar."

Armour predicted the event would be remembered more for the country's conduct than for the competition itself, calling it "the legacy, and the shame, of this World Cup."

Her columns drew further attention after Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and others condemned her for invoking Emmett Till while arguing that Clark’s conduct toward WNBA officials endangered Black and queer players.

Contrasting Armour’s views, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan highlighted the tournament's positive economic impact in a CBS interview, stating, "It’s having this on-the-ground economic impact, and that spending is going into what we call bricks-and-mortar — going to bars and restaurants and things like that — not necessarily only the people in the stadium."

Similarly, Houston First CEO Michael Heckman remarked on the favorable experiences of visitors, saying, "People arrived in the United States, they arrived in Texas, they arrived in Houston, and it was a much different experience than what maybe they had originally thought, and in a very, very favorable way."

The FIFA World Cup concluded on Sunday, July 20th, 2026, after 104 matches, including 78 held in the United States. Despite Armour’s concerns, the event saw record attendance, international goodwill, and approximately $20 billion in spending.

Armour also acknowledged the potential for the U.S. men’s national team to perform well, stating, "The U.S. men’s national team could make a historically deep run and the tournament could be filled with wondrous goals and compelling games."

However, she lamented, "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase the best of the United States and embrace the joy that soccer brings the rest of the world and, instead, we chose to be ugly Americans."

Sources