Donald Trump faces accusations that his policies and rhetoric could undermine the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the US hosting most matches.
Concerns have risen following the fatal shooting of protester Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis earlier this month and the death of US citizen Alex Pretti last weekend. Prominent figures in global football have urged fans to avoid travel to the US.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has backed boycott calls, quoting Swiss lawyer Mark Pieth, who previously worked with FIFA. Pieth expressed worries about domestic marginalisation of political opponents and immigration service abuses. Internal discussions within international football bodies reflect fears that the tournament has become a political minefield amid immigration incidents and threats to allies such as a 100 per cent trade tariff on Canada over China relations.
The German Football Association has seen debate on safety risks, with vice-president Oke Gottlich comparing the situation to Cold War-era Olympic boycotts and advising against travel. German FA president Bernd Neuendorf rejected a boycott as misguided at this stage, while Bundesliga chief Hans-Joachim Watzke stated the time is not right for such discussion. Sponsors, fans, and federations continue to assess the implications.
Sepp Blatter shared “For the fans, there’s only one piece of advice: stay away from the USA! I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”
Mark Pieth shared “What we are seeing domestically – the marginalization of political opponents, abuses by immigration services, etc – hardly encourages fans to go there. For fans, just one piece of advice: avoid the United States! You’ll get a better view on television anyway. Upon arrival fans should expect that if they don’t behave properly with the authorities, they will be immediately sent home. If they’re lucky.”
Oke Gottlich shared “I really wonder when the time will be to think and talk about this concretely. For me that time has definitely come. Personally, I would advise against traveling given the current situation in the country. I may disagree with many of my colleagues. What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s? By my reckoning the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.”
A source familiar with discussions inside international soccer bodies shared “There is a growing fear that Trump’s actions are turning the World Cup into a political minefield. Sponsors, fans and federations are all quietly asking whether this tournament can function in an environment where immigration agents are killing civilians and the president is openly threatening allies.”
