Amid US-Iran tensions, former FIFA president urges boycott of World Cup in America, says that…
Former FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, a name that usually carries more baggage than a touring cricket squad has officially stepped into the crease. On Monday, he threw his weight behind a proposed fan boycott of the upcoming World Cup matches in the United States.
Blatter’s not just talking about the sport here; he’s taking aim at the political climate. He voiced his support on X (formerly Twitter) for Mark Pieth, the Swiss anti-corruption expert who recently gave a pretty scathing interview to Der Bund. Pieth’s advice to fans? “Stay away from the USA!” He reckons you’ll see the action better on TV anyway and warned that fans who don’t “please the officials” might find themselves on a one-way flight home.
The friction isn’t just coming from the old guard. The international soccer community is getting increasingly twitchy about the Trump administration’s policies. We’re talking about everything from the expansionist talk regarding Greenland to aggressive immigration tactics in cities like Minneapolis.
Even the German soccer federation is weighing in. Their vice president, Oke Göttlich, recently suggested that it’s time to seriously consider a boycott.
The ‘Travel Ban’ Googly
The real sticking point, though, is the visa situation. Imagine being a die-hard fan from Senegal or Ivory Coast, two of Africa’s powerhouse teams only to find out your travel plans are in tatters because of a new ban. Unless you already have a visa, you’re basically locked out.
The list of exclusions is growing, and it’s hitting teams that have already qualified:
- Senegal and Ivory Coast: Effectively barred by recent announcements.
- Iran & Haiti: Included in the original iteration of the travel ban.
Sport vs State
Look, in cricket, we’ve seen how travel restrictions and diplomatic rows can derail a series (just look at the constant ‘will they, won’t they’ between India and Pakistan). But seeing it happen on this scale for a World Cup is wild.
When you have fans from qualified nations like Iran and Haiti being told they can’t even enter the country to watch their team play, it stops being about the game and starts being about the gatekeepers. If the stands are empty because of visa politics, does it even feel like a World Cup?
It’s a tough one to watch from the sidelines. The US is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, but if the ‘host’ vibe is more about exclusion than inclusion, the spirit of the game takes a massive hit.
When FIFA 2026 is going to start?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off on June 11, 2026, with the opening match held at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The tournament will wrap up with the final on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This massive event will span 39 days and mark the first time the competition features 48 teams, with matches hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.