Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter just delivered some chilling advice for fans planning to attend the World Cup matches in the US: stay home. The major football tournament is scheduled to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico later this year, but rising tensions involving President Trump’s administration have led to serious concerns about fan safety and entry.
Blatter, who now describes himself as a “Football Philosopher” on X, made a rare post to endorse comments made by Swiss anti-corruption lawyer Mark Pieth, as reported by LadBible. Blatter quoted Pieth directly, writing, “‘For the fans, there’s only one piece of advice: stay away from the USA!’” Blatter then added that he thinks Pieth is absolutely right to question whether the US should even be hosting the World Cup right now.
Pieth issued a very specific and stark warning about what fans can expect upon arrival. The lawyer stated that fans should anticipate immediate deportation if authorities feel they “don’t behave properly.” He added that being sent home quickly would be considered “lucky.”
If you’re spending thousands of dollars on travel, plane tickets, and match tickets, the last thing you want is that kind of uncertainty looming over your trip.
The widespread fear leading to these boycott calls stems from ongoing unrest and political actions taken by President Trump’s government. International figures in the sport are questioning the choice of the US as host because of issues like the current situation with Greenland and the dealings with migrants and protestors in places like Minneapolis. Pieth specifically cited the “marginalisation of political opponents” and “abuses by immigration services” as reasons for the boycott call.
There are also specific worries about existing travel bans that President Trump has implemented, which restrict entry for people from several qualifying nations. While one US official did state that the ban only applies to those seeking to immigrate, the confusion and the severe warnings from figures like Blatter are clearly fueling the fan anxiety and the wider call for a boycott.
It’s interesting to note that this warning comes from Blatter, who stepped down from FIFA in 2015 after a series of scandals. His replacement, Gianni Infantino, seems to have struck up quite a solid bond with President Trump. The situation highlights a clear split in the football world over the viability of the US as a host nation right now.
Despite these dire warnings, many fans are absolutely determined to travel to the States for the games. However, if you’re planning on traveling to see knockout fixtures that might take England or other teams to Mexico, you need to be aware of some serious risks there, too.
Published: Jan 28, 2026 02:30 pm