As a football fan, this is painful to say. Really painful.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States was supposed to be special. For years, American fans waited for this moment. The game has grown here. Stadiums are full.
Kids wear Messi and Mbappé shirts. Hosting the World Cup again felt like proof that football truly belongs in the US now.
Losing that would hurt everyone fans, cities, small businesses, and the sport itself.
But sometimes football has to stand for more than football.
Right now, the US does not feel like a safe or united place. We’ve all seen the videos. We’ve seen innocent people killed by federal forces.
We’ve seen truth twisted, victims called “terrorists,” and fear spread openly. When a government can’t be trusted with basic justice, how can it be trusted with the biggest sporting event on earth?
A World Cup brings millions of visitors from all over the world. It’s meant to be about joy, safety, and togetherness. Instead, the US is making headlines for violence, immigration raids, and political chaos.
The idea of resistance is no longer fringe either discussion around a possible boycott is already happening, as explored in A World Cup boycott over Trump?
Even FIFA talks about “peace and unity,” but those words feel empty when reality says otherwise.
Yes, football has survived worse hosts before. Yes, money talks. And yes, removing the US would be a logistical nightmare.
But football is also about values about fans believing the game stands for something. If hosting the World Cup means ignoring fear, injustice, and division, then what are we really celebrating?
I never thought I’d say this. I wanted the World Cup here. I still love the game.
But if the tournament is taken away from the US, it would be heartbreaking and sadly, justified.
Football is bigger than any country.
And sometimes, protecting the game means making the hardest call.
