Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter believes that fans should avoid traveling to the United States for the World Cup this summer.
The 89-year-old cited Mark Pieth, an anti-corruption expert and law professor who chaired the Independent Governance Committee to oversee FIFA’s reform process from 2013 to 2016.
In a recent interview with Swiss newspaper Der Bund, Pieth said that President Donald Trump’s international aggression and violations within the U.S. made it too risky for fans to travel from abroad.
‘If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans: Stay away from the USA!’ Pieth said.
‘You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home. If they’re lucky.’
Blatter approvingly quoted Pieth in a post on X, adding: ‘I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.’
The United States will serve as the co-host for the World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada, with the tournament running from June 11 to July 19.
There has also been widespread criticism at home as federal agents have killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, Minnesota this month.
‘The country itself is in a state of tremendous turmoil,’ Pieth said. ‘What we’re witnessing domestically – the marginalization of political opponents, the abuses by immigration authorities, and so on – doesn’t exactly entice a fan to travel there.
‘The U.S. is in a similar security situation to Mexico. In Mexico, it’s the drug cartels threatening violence; in the U.S., it’s a state that’s becoming increasingly authoritarian.’
Blatter served as FIFA president for 17 years before he was forced out in the wake of a corruption scandal that erupted in 2015. He has frequently been critical of his replacement, Gianni Infantino.