Although it is unlikely that FIFA will cancel the US's position as the host of the World Cup, due to the increasing insecurity and the danger to the lives of football fans, it is appropriate for the Islamic Republic of Iran to ask its citizens to refrain from traveling to the United States.
After the Star newspaper expressed concern about the possibility of many foreign spectators canceling their trips to the United States to watch the world football matches, in recent days, the media and social media users have speculated about this issue and the possibility of games being canceled in the United States due to the intensification of unrest. The Star newspaper announced on January 15, that more than 16,800 tickets have been canceled so far and that this number is likely to increase if the current trend continues.
FIFA, which had predicted that between 5.5 and 5.6 million fans from the United States, Canada, and Mexico alone would come to watch the matches, now sees its credibility and ticket sales at risk. This is while the tournament was supposed to break the attendance record, surpassing the 3.6 million fans who attended the 1994 World Cup.
US Democrats have also issued a message calling for a boycott of the tournament, saying, "Dear rest of the world, do whatever it takes. Boycott us. Kick us out of the Olympics. Don't have the World Cup this year. Or whatever else you think will end this situation."
According to the BBC, a coalition of 23 non-partisan MPs in the UK will ask FIFA to consider expelling the US from the World Cup.
In addition to insecurity within the US, this unprecedented request is due to concerns about Trump's recent actions on the global stage, including the kidnapping of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and US's aggressive threats against various countries. Glenn Tones, an active user of the X Network, wrote that a country that threatens world peace on a daily basis should absolutely not be hosting the World Cup or the Olympic Games.
“I canceled my World Cup tickets because it is not safe to travel to the United States,” Mohamed Safa, executive director of PVA Patriotic Vision, a non-governmental organization that is a UN consultant, told Mexican media in solidarity.
Some German politicians have threatened that the country’s national soccer team may boycott the 2026 World Cup. The German protest, which was raised by Jürgen Hardt, a member of the Christian Democratic Party and a close ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is due to the US approach to Greenland. The politician told Bild newspaper: “Cancellation of the competition would only be considered as a last resort to force President Trump to reconsider the Greenland issue.” At the same time, videos and reports of the killing of a 37-year-old mother of three in Minneapolis and the violent treatment of protesters by US police in response to this crime have increased anxiety and concern among fans of the potential international World Cup.
Football fans from Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America are wary of travelling to the increasingly insecure and hostile political climate, with some countries likely to ban their nationals from travelling to the US. Hotels in Minneapolis and St. Paul have closed due to concerns about the safety of tourists. The board of directors of Mile Lux Corporate Ventures said in a statement: “We have decided to temporarily close two of our hotels in St. Paul – the InterContinental St. Paul Riverfront and the DoubleTree St. Paul Downtown due to heightened security and safety concerns.”
British politician George Galloway wrote: “Only a madman would travel to the US for the FIFA World Cup. You’d be lucky to get out alive. Even if you’re white!”
Although given America's influence in the FIFA World Cup, it is unlikely that FIFA will cancel America's position as the host of the World Cup, due to the escalating insecurity and the danger to the lives of football enthusiasts, it is appropriate for the Islamic Republic of Iran to also ask its citizens to refrain from traveling to the United States.
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