Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has publicly supported a proposed boycott of the 2026 World Cup matches scheduled to be held in the United States, citing concerns over the conduct of the Trump administration both domestically and internationally. Blatter’s call to action, made on Monday, echoes similar sentiments expressed by Mark Pieth, a Swiss attorney and anti-corruption expert, who previously suggested fans should avoid traveling to the U.S. For the tournament.
Pieth, who chaired the Independent Governance Committee’s oversight of FIFA reform a decade ago, told the Swiss newspaper Der Bund that fans should “stay away from the USA! You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home. If they’re lucky.” Blatter amplified Pieth’s comments in a post on X, stating, “I reckon Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”
The United States is co-hosting the World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, with matches scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Blatter, who served as FIFA president from 1998 to 2015 before resigning amid a corruption investigation, is the latest international soccer figure to voice concerns about the U.S. As a host nation.
According to NBC News, the concerns within the international soccer community stem from former President Trump’s policies, including his expansionist posture regarding Greenland, the implementation of travel bans, and what critics describe as aggressive tactics in dealing with migrants and immigration enforcement protestors in American cities, particularly Minneapolis.
President Trump has recently reaffirmed plans to potentially move World Cup games from Boston and the 2028 Olympic Games from Los Angeles if he deems the cities unsafe, stating, “If we think there’s any reason that … they’re not doing their job, we’re going to take those World Cup games and move them someplace else.” This statement, reported by NBC Chicago, further fuels the debate over the suitability of the U.S. As a host.
The Associated Press reported Blatter’s support for the boycott on January 27, 2026. No immediate response has been issued by FIFA or the U.S. World Cup organizing committee regarding Blatter and Pieth’s statements.
