Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has backed calls urging football fans to avoid travelling to the United States for matches at the 2026 World Cup, according to multiple media reports, citing concerns over security, immigration enforcement and the country’s political climate.
Blatter voiced his support for comments made by Swiss lawyer and anti-corruption expert Mark Pieth, who warned that fans should “stay away” from World Cup matches in the US. Pieth worked with FIFA on governance reforms during Blatter’s presidency.
“I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup,” Blatter wrote in a social media post, endorsing Pieth’s advice to supporters.
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The 2026 tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July, with the majority of matches scheduled to take place in the US.
Pieth cited domestic developments in the United States, including aggressive immigration enforcement and recent deaths linked to clashes involving federal authorities, as reasons for discouraging travel. He warned that fans could face heightened scrutiny at US borders and risk being denied entry or deported if they fail to comply with officials, adding that supporters may be “better off watching on television.”
Concerns have intensified following the expansion of US travel bans affecting several countries whose national teams have qualified for the World Cup. Fans from Iran and Haiti are expected to be barred from entering the United States, while supporters from Senegal and the Ivory Coast face restrictions unless they already hold valid visas.
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Concerns over safety have also entered the political debate, after US President Donald Trump suggested that World Cup matches could be moved away from host cities he considers “unsafe,” comments that drew criticism from local officials and organisers, according to separate reports.
Criticism has also emerged from within European football. Oke Göttlich, a vice-president of the German football federation, said the idea of a boycott should be “seriously considered.”
Blatter, who resigned as FIFA president in 2015 amid corruption investigations and was later acquitted alongside former UEFA chief Michel Platini, has remained a vocal critic of FIFA’s current leadership under Gianni Infantino. Infantino dismissed the concerns, insisting fans would continue to attend in large numbers.
