When the United States, Mexico and Canada launched their joint bid for the 2026 World Cup in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, the prevailing mood was unmistakeably upbeat.

Peace, love and harmony: three countries joining forces in a "United Bid" to roll out the welcome mat for the most popular sporting carnival on the planet, a beacon of hope in a polarised world.

"We don't believe sport can solve all the issues in the world," US Soccer chief Sunil Gulati told an audience at a Manhattan skyscraper.

"But ... we believe this is a hugely positive signal and symbol of what we can do together in unifying people, especially in our three countries."

Fast forward eight years, and the soaring optimism that accompanied the bid's launch in 2017 has run into some stiff geopolitical headwinds,

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