Online calls are growing for FIFA to strip the U.S. of World Cup hosting rights.
Fans cite security fears after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during a public event.
SEE ALSO: Charlie Kirk Shot Dead at Utah College Event
Calls are mounting online for FIFA to remove the United States from its World Cup hosting duties following the fatal shooting of conservative commentator and Trump ally, Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, 31, was delivering a speech at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, September 10, when he was struck in the neck by gunfire. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but despite emergency treatment, he later died. Former President Donald Trump announced the news of his death on social media.
With the tournament scheduled to begin next summer, many football supporters have expressed fears about security in the United States.
On social platform X, one commenter argued that “after seeing a high-profile figure killed in broad daylight, FIFA should rethink allowing the U.S. to co-host the World Cup.” Another asked how such a major sporting event could be staged “in a country where such violence can happen so openly.” A third warned that the competition “should not go forward in America for the safety of everyone involved,” while another stated that “watching the footage of the shooting makes it hard to believe the U.S. is a suitable host for the tournament.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, but the majority of games including all matches from the quarterfinal stage onward are scheduled to take place in American stadiums. Eleven of the sixteen host cities are in the United States, with the final slated for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and a key figure in the MAGA movement, was praised by Trump after his death. Writing on Truth Social, Trump called Kirk “a remarkable advocate for America’s youth” and sent condolences to his wife Erika and their family, saying Kirk’s influence would endure even after his passing.
