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Calls to Boycott 2026 World Cup Surge After Trump-FIFA Scandal and New Travel Ban
Calls to Boycott 2026 World Cup Surge After Trump-FIFA Scandal and New Travel Ban originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Trump's newly announced travel ban has increased further the calls for a Boycott of the 2026 World Cup.
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Though the ban comes with an exemption that could apply to players, staff or associated family members participating in the tournament, Democrats are calling the move "reckless" and "discriminatory" with fears that it will lead to chaos and confusion with regards to the US's hosting of events including the World Cup, the Club World Cup and the Olympics. The exemption states that the following are not subject to the ban"
"Any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary supporting role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or any other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state"
Infantino Cosying Up To Trump
Last month FIFA President Gianni Infantino skipped his own congress to meet with Donald Trump in Qatar and Saudi Arabia - sparking a walkout by European officials. That move triggered the previously unthinkable notion of a boycott.
Critics say the relationship between Trump and Infantino highlights corruption and deep ties to authoritarian regimes, with UEFA accusing Infantino of abusing power for political gain.
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Qatar hosted the last World Cup and even more controversially, Saudi Arabia won the bid to host the 2034 World Cup unopposed.
Minky Worden, the director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch said that Infantino's trip was indicative of the lack of "meaningful accountability" at the highest level of soccer and called on him "to detail precisely what it achieved for football and human rights".
Fans Fear The Worst
The controversy comes on top of fears that Trump's hardline immigration policies will deter fans from traveling to the US after recent detention horror stories from tourists.
Others have mocked Infantino and Trump for sharing three key traits - a love of money; a thirst for power; and rampant narcissism.
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There's no word yet on whether Qatar is also giving Infantino a $400 million plane, but would it surprise anyone if they were?
UEFA meanwhile accused Infantino of pursuing "private political interests" ahead of his responsibility to football.
Angry statements have little to no affect on the way that Infantino and/or Trump behave. That's why increasingly people are calling for more radical action and to hit Trump and Infantino where it hurts: their wallet.
That includes a partial boycott of the 2026 World Cup, with countries refusing to play games in the US, and insisting all matches switch to co-hosts Canada and Mexico.
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Related: What Trump's task force reveals about the chaos coming to the World Cup 2026
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
