Joseph Blatter, the former president of FIFA, has urged football fans to avoid matches of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the USA, according to information published by "Deutsche Welle".
Blatter, who is currently 89 years old, supported calls for a boycott of the World Cup, which will primarily take place in the USA, citing the strict immigration policy of the Donald Trump administration. In his post on the social media platform X, he directly advised football fans not to go there.
“I have one piece of advice for fans: stay away from the USA,” he wrote. Blatter also noted the words of Mark Pieth, a Swiss anti-corruption expert, who previously pointed out potential issues with border checks and the arbitrariness of border officials. “I agree with what Mark Pieth says about the risks associated with this tournament,” he added, using the hashtag #DonaldTrump.
In a recent interview with Tagesanzeiger, Pieth also recommended that fans not travel to the USA, noting that it is better to watch the matches on television. He added that there is a risk of immediate deportation if someone does not appeal to the American authorities upon arrival.
Discussion of the Possibility of a World Cup Boycott
In Germany, discussions are also ongoing regarding the upcoming World Cup, prompted by the USA's strict immigration policy. The question of boycotting the tournament was raised by Oke Göttlich, vice president of the German Football Association (DFB) and president of the club St. Pauli.
However, Bernd Neuendorf, president of the DFB, considers the discussion of a boycott to be inappropriate at this time, although he acknowledged that the DFB board plans to consider the issue. He characterized Trump's policy as “very difficult to understand clearly” and emphasized that such matters should be resolved at the political level. When asked if he could recommend fans travel to the tournament, Neuendorf replied that everyone should make their own choice, taking safety recommendations into account.
Meanwhile, the German government has warned its citizens to exercise caution when traveling to the USA. Concerns have heightened in light of Trump's harsh rhetoric regarding Greenland, new threats directed at Canada, and reports of increased actions by the immigration service ICE, which sometimes lead to fatal consequences. Calls are already being made in German political circles to consider the possibility of boycotting the tournament.
