You read it here first. The USA is about to win its first ever World Cup. (That’s soccer/football for you non sports fans.)

It isn’t at they are the best team. That has yet to be determined on the soccer pitch. It doesn’t really matter though: it looks like the fix is in.

The United States has a good team and have cruised through to the Round of 16, Thirty-two teams have been eliminated from contention.

Monday they face Belgium, which will be their biggest test yet. But not as much a challenge as it looked like 24 hours ago. The chances of a US win increased dramatically today, thanks to Donald Trump.

In the last USA game their leading goal scorer was given a red card due to an fraction of the rules. That meant he was out of the game, and suspended for the next one.

I was watching the game and thought the call was questionable and the penalty harsh, but I’m not the referee. And a player who receives a red card cannot appeal the decision. Neither can his team.

But apparently the President of the US can. Donald Trump asked FIFA to change its mind. And it did. If there is no repeat of the infraction in a year the one-game suspension will be wiped out.

Needless to say there is considerable consternation among those supporting Belgium in Monday’s game. They feel that the rules should apply to everyone equally, no special circumstances.

I have no particular feeling as to who I want to win on Monday. With Canada out of the running I tend to cheer for the underdog, which in this game is still the USA, even at full strength. I have visited both countries, but emotionally I have closer ties to America than Belgium.

But what if they lose? Will Donald Trump accept that? Or will he pressure FIFA to overturn the game results?

Yes, that is a ludicrous thought. Or is it?