UK MPs Call for US World Cup Ban

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just months away, but off-field politics is already casting a shadow over the tournament. Recent aggressive actions by US President Donald Trump have stirred international tensions, prompting a group of British MPs to call for the United States—one of the World Cup hosts—to be banned from the competition.

According to BBC reports, 23 MPs from the Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, and Plaid Cymru parties have signed a parliamentary proposal urging FIFA and other sporting bodies to consider sanctions. They argue that a nation that disregards international law and other countries’ sovereignty should not be permitted to participate in a global sporting event.

The controversy began earlier this month when US forces conducted a raid in Caracas, Venezuela, attempting to detain President Nicolás Maduro. This was followed by a series of warnings and military threats directed at Colombia, Cuba, Greenland, and Mexico. Questions are now emerging about how US foreign policy might affect major international sporting events, including the World Cup and the Olympics, both scheduled to be held in the United States in the coming years.

Key Recent US Actions

In December, at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, FIFA awarded Trump its first “Peace Award”, citing his role in supporting ceasefires between Israel and Palestine. However, within weeks, the US had undertaken military operations in Venezuela and Nigeria, while Trump hinted at possible interventions in other countries involved in the tournament.

Both FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have so far refrained from taking action, emphasising that athletes should not be penalised for political conflicts. Yet analysts warn that Trump’s ongoing policies could place these organisations in a difficult position.

International sports adviser John Jerafa noted, “FIFA and the IOC uphold principles of peace, sovereignty, and fairness. The same standards applied to Russia should logically apply to the United States. The question is whether these organisations can enforce them if the US acts militarily in a host or neighbouring country, such as Greenland.”

The upcoming World Cup in June 2026, along with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, will test how global sport navigates the intersection of politics and competition. Already, fans from Iran, Haiti, Senegal, and Ivory Coast face travel restrictions due to US policies, raising concerns over fairness and access.

Ultimately, whether political tensions will overshadow the excitement of the beautiful game remains to be seen.