Trump tweet appears to warn countries that don’t support North American bid for 2026 World Cup
President Trump had strong words Thursday for countries that do not support the U.S.’s joint bid with Canada and Mexico to host the 2026 World Cup.
“It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid,” Trump tweeted. “Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations)?”
Los Angeles is among 17 U.S. cities that could serve as host sites should the effort to bring the World Cup to North America succeed.
It is unknown what prompted Trump’s tweet on the matter.
FIFA, the governing body of international soccer, will pick the host of the 2026 event on June 13, with each of the federation’s 212 member associations getting a vote.
Morocco, the only competition for the joint North American bid, appears to have widespread support in Africa. France and Russia have also indicated support for Morocco’s bid, which also may get a boost from a growing anti-U.S. sentiment in many parts of the world.
FIFA does not allow political interference on World Cup bids, but an organization spokesperson declined to discuss whether Trump’s tweet violated any policies.
“As a general rule, please understand we cannot comment on specific statements in connection with the bidding process,” he said in a statement. “We can only refer to the FIFA Regulations for the selection of the venue for the final competition of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and in particular to the Bid Rules of Conduct incorporated therein.”
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