Story by
Former FIFA chief’s shocking World Cup warning: ‘Stay away from the USA!’
- Story by
- Former FIFA chief’s shocking World Cup warning: ‘Stay away from the USA!’
The former FIFA president surprised many on Monday with a message about the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter is urging soccer fans to boycott the international soccer tournament, warning international travelers to avoid the United States due to political instability and human rights concerns.
Advertisement
In a post on X on Monday , the 89-year-old Blatter wrote, “Stay away from the USA!” while mentioning Donald Trump and expressing support for legal experts who have labeled the country a “rogue state,” according to usatoday.com .
Blatter, who served as world soccer’s governing body’s controversial eighth president from 1998 to 2015, pointed to a shifting American political climate as the primary driver for his stance.
He specifically cited comments from Swiss-German lawyer Mark Pieth, who previously oversaw FIFA’s reform process. Pieth cited the killing of protester Renee Good by an American immigration agent in Minneapolis earlier this month as one reason for supporters not to travel to the US. Blatter’s endorsement of Pieth’s comments comes in the wake of the death of a second US citizen , Alex Pretti, last weekend.
In response, Blatter wrote, “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”
Advertisement
The tournament is scheduled to begin June 11 across the U.S., Canada and Mexico , with the final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Despite the logistical preparations, calls for withdrawal have gained momentum in European soccer circles.
Oke Göttlich, a vice president of the German Football Association and president of FC St. Pauli , urged European nations to “seriously consider and discuss” avoiding the event in protest of Trump’s geopolitical rhetoric, accoding to politico.eu .
“What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s?” Göttlich told Hamburger Morgenpost in an interview translation provided by Politico Europe. “By my reckoning, the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion,” espn.com reported.
Advertisement
However, French officials remain committed to the event. France ’s sports minister, Marina Ferrari, recently told reporters the country has “no desire” to skip the competition, despite concerns regarding threats to Denmark ’s sovereignty, according to French news outlet Le Monde .
“Now, I will not anticipate what could happen, but I have also heard voices raised from certain political blocs,” Ferrari said. “I am one who believes in keeping sport separate. The World Cup is an extremely important moment for those who love sport.”
More News
Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
