Half Past Test Post

The words of Fifa president Gianni Infantino when hailing this summer’s World Cup across the United States of America, Mexico and Canada.

Never afraid to hype football’s showpiece event, the head of the world governing body has portrayed the first pan-continental version as the most inclusive, welcoming and unifying to date.

But many others would choose different superlatives.

The most politicised, for instance. And the most expensive. Potentially the hottest, or the most polluting. Certainly the most lucrative for Fifa.

Whatever one’s perspective, it seems certain that away from the on-field spectacle, this super-sized World Cup could be among the most contentious ever.