Sepp Blatter, the former president of FIFA, has expressed his support for the idea of fans not traveling to the United States during the 2026 World Cup (June 11-July 19) for security reasons, according to AFP.
I have only one piece of advice for fans: avoid the United States. There are things that, rightly, call into question the holding of this World Cupwrote the former head of the international federation (1998-2015).
What we see in the US – marginalization of political opponents, abuse of immigration services, etc. – hardly encourages fans to go there.
Swiss lawyer Marc Piethan anti-corruption expert hired by Blatter between 2011 and 2014 to propose reforms to FIFA, was even more explicit.
Fans, avoid the United States. You’ll have a better view of the television anyway. Upon arrival, fans should expect that if they do not behave properly with the authorities, they will be sent home immediately. If they are lucky…, predicted Pieth.
Blatter, a vocal critic of Gianni Infantino, the current FIFA president, was his predecessor until his resignation in 2015, which followed a series of scandals.
Accused of fraudamong others, Blatter, along with Michel Platini, was finally acquitted in 2025 by the Swiss courts. Two former officials are accused of illegally obtaining a payment of 2 million Swiss francs (1.8 million euros) to Michel Platini, to the detriment of FIFA, according to the Swiss public prosecutor’s office.
Faced with tensions arising from American wishes for the annexation of Greenland and threats of increased tariffs against European countries that oppose it, the first voices are beginning to be heard in Europe proposing a boycott – or even cancellation – of the World Cup, which is hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
However, Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation (FFF), said on Sunday in the Ouest-France daily newspaper that “the French Football Federation has no intention of boycotting the World Cup in the United States”.
(Hina | Photo: X)
