India, July 19 -- It was always a bit of an anomaly. The most popular sport in the world existed only in a niche in the world's wealthiest country. For many years, football wanted to leave its mark on the United States of America but now, as the 2026 World Cup comes to a close, it looks as if the USA has left its mark on football.

It is the same thing but not quite the same thing. The US has always insisted that football was indeed soccer. They could not have it confused with their national pastime, the National Football League (American football to the rest of the world). So, soccer it is and clearly FIFA president Gianni Infantino doesn't mind.

He has seemingly gone out of his way to make concessions to the USA (the red card reversal ...