Africa-Press – Lesotho. Donald Trump sparked controversy after suggesting he could remove some host cities from the 2026 World Cup if their security was not guaranteed.
The U.S. president accused certain municipalities of being “run by left-wing extremists who don’t know what they’re doing,” a remark that immediately reignited political tensions around the tournament.
FIFA quickly responded through its vice president and CONCACAF president, Victor Montagliani. Speaking in London, he firmly reminded that the World Cup remains under FIFA’s jurisdiction. “This is FIFA’s tournament, it’s under FIFA’s authority, and FIFA makes these decisions,” he declared, dismissing the idea that political leaders could dictate changes to the hosting plan.
Montagliani went further, stressing that football stands above governments and political agendas. “The game will outlast regimes, outlast governments and their slogans. That’s the beauty of football: it is bigger than any individual and bigger than any country.” With that strong statement, FIFA reaffirmed its independence while underlining the unifying power of the sport ahead of a historic World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
For More News And Analysis About Lesotho Follow Africa-Press
