Sepp Blatter Supports World Cup Boycott
Sepp Blatter, the former president of FIFA, has expressed his support for a movement advocating that fans refrain from attending the World Cup matches set to take place in the United States. This call to action comes in light of President Donald Trump’s controversial policies both domestically and internationally.
Comments from Mark Pieth
Blatter’s endorsement of the boycott aligns with comments made by Mark Pieth, a Swiss lawyer known for his expertise in anti-corruption and reform within FIFA, during an interview with the Swiss publication, Der Bund.
Pieth has previously led initiatives aimed at governing FIFA’s ethical standards, and he shared his perspective by advising soccer enthusiasts to avoid traveling to the United States, saying,
“You’ll see it better on TV anyway,”
and that fans could risk being sent home immediately if they failed to meet the approval of authorities upon arrival. Blatter echoed these sentiments in a post on social media platform X, affirming Pieth’s stance on the matter.
Concerns Over the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Concerns regarding the appropriateness of the U.S. as a host nation have been echoed by several figures within the global soccer community. These worries stem from Trump’s contentious policies, which include an aggressive stance on immigration, a travel ban affecting multiple nations, and various international decisions that some consider provocative, such as military posturing concerning Greenland.
Call for Serious Discussions
Oke Göttlich, vice president of the German Football Association, also weighed in, calling for serious discussions about a potential boycott in an interview with Hamburger Morgenpost. The sentiment among fans has grown stronger following the Trump administration’s recent travel ban, which disrupts plans for supporters from key African nations like Senegal and Ivory Coast, as well as others from Iran and Haiti, essentially prohibiting their presence at the tournament unless they obtain prior visas. This has drawn significant backlash as many view it as an unfair barrier for loyal fans.
