One of the biggest soccer fans in global politics, Viktor Orb谩n, has been sidelined from his big game.
The right-wing populist leader and heavy in the Hungarian elections means incoming Prime Minister P茅ter Magyar will be the one in charge when the comes to Budapest next month.
That鈥檚 a political shift in Europe and raises questions about Orb谩n’s ambitions for Hungary to stage world sports鈥� biggest events like top soccer finals, major track championships and a potential Olympic bid.
Under Orb谩n, a former soccer player and regular in the VIP boxes at World Cup and Champions League finals, Hungary boasts costly new stadiums including Budapest鈥檚 Pusk谩s Ar茅na, which will host the biggest game in European club soccer on May 30.
鈥淭hat was supposed to be the icing on the cake for Orb谩n and his regime. He鈥檚 been working very hard to get that final to Budapest and to Hungary,鈥� said Gy艖z艖 Moln谩r, professor of sociology of sport and exercise at the University of Worcester.
If Magyar attends the Champions League final, that will 鈥渟ignal a firm regime change,鈥� Moln谩r said.
Now there will likely be changes, and sports organizations will need to forge ties with a new government.
Magyar has denied opponents’ claims he’ll cut funding for sports. Still, his Tisza party’s election platform signaled a shift in emphasis. It criticized the use of public money to build 鈥渙verpriced鈥� stadiums and run prestige projects while “school and local sports activities have withered away.鈥�
European soccer body UEFA didn鈥檛 comment when asked if it would invite both Orban and Magyar to the game. It told the AP planning for the game 鈥渃ontinues as scheduled鈥�.
Champions League final the highlight
Orb谩n once played soccer in Hungary鈥檚 lower leagues. The team from his home village of Felcsut has grown alongside his political ambitions in recent decades and is now a regular in European competitions, with a state-of-the-art stadium to match.
Besides his beloved soccer, Hungary has lined up for September with the sport’s richest-ever prize fund, and the world swimming championships next year for the third time in a decade. It’s soccer’s go-to in political crisis and a . The capital, Budapest, has a bid for the 2036 Olympics in the works.
Orb谩n frequently fought with the European Union over its criticism of his authoritarian style and his opposition to much EU support for neighboring Ukraine. Moln谩r says Orb谩n portrayed sports bodies’ willingness to hold events in Hungary as a form of support.
鈥淭hese aren鈥檛 just sporting events for him. They were Orb谩n’s answer to, for instance, EU criticisms” and let him to respond that 鈥淯EFA still trusts us with the biggest match,鈥� Moln谩r said.
Not all his projects worked out, though. Despite tax breaks which led Orb谩n allies to plow money into Hungary’s soccer clubs, they’re still not that competitive internationally. The national team last qualified for a in 1986, a far cry from the teams of 鈥淢ighty Magyars鈥� who were runners-up in 1938 and 1954.
Uncertainty to come
There’s been no sign that Hungary will cancel any events which are already scheduled for the coming months and years, but priorities could change.
Magyar has said his government would end what he called the politicization of sports under Orb谩n. 鈥淧olitics has become entrenched in the sports associations and the soccer clubs to a degree that we didn鈥檛 even see during socialism,鈥� he said in September.
The cost of living could take up more of the new government’s time, too. In a tough global economic climate, even is facing scrutiny.
The mayor of the capital, Budapest, is a liberal who opposed Orb谩n but isn’t a natural ally of Magyar, either. After an Orb谩n-backed bid for the 2024 Olympics was withdrawn 鈥� Paris got the Games 鈥� Budapest Mayor Gergely Kar谩csony is set to explore another bid next year. The International Olympic Committee told the AP it wouldn’t comment on 鈥減olitical developments鈥� or the bid.
World Athletics is working with the city government ahead of its Ultimate Championships in September. 鈥淲e continue to work closely with our Hungarian counterparts towards the successful delivery鈥� of the event, World Athletics told the AP.
Budapest is a power base in the Olympic movement, too. The governing bodies for swimming, canoeing and judo have all started or completed moves to Hungary from Switzerland. The biggest is World Aquatics, which is due to move in 2028.
Its package included for some acts, 鈥渢ax benefits鈥� and a headquarters site 鈥渇ree of charge for 15 years,鈥� foreign minister P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 said at the time.
鈥淲orld Aquatics has always maintained a strong, positive relationship with Hungary,鈥� it told the AP. 鈥淲e have no doubt that this relationship will continue to thrive under the new leadership of P茅ter Magyar, whom we congratulate on his recent victory as Prime Minister of Hungary.鈥�
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Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, and Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report.
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