Just 100 days before the start of the FIFA World Cup, what should be a period of celebration is turning into a moment of turbulence.
The US and Israel’s attacks on Iran have raised major doubts about the possible withdrawal of the Persian country from the 48-team tournament — a decision not taken by any other nation after qualifying since 1950, when Scotland, along with other countries like India and Turkey, chose not to participate, partly due to travel costs for the games in Brazil.
But Iran’s participation is not the only uncertainty. Violence in Mexico, following the assassination of a cartel leader, has raised questions about the country’s ability to attract fans, while concerns about funding for the US host cities have also grown in recent weeks.
And there is also outrage over ticket prices and controversy surrounding President Trump and his administration’s policies, including military actions and enforcement of immigration laws.
Anxiety before World Cups is nothing new. Concerns about violence preceded the 2010 and 2014 World Cups in South Africa and Brazil, while the selection of Russia and Qatar as hosts for the last two tournaments also generated controversies.
But no men’s World Cup has been as big as this one, with 48 teams competing in 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. And no recent World Cup has taken place amid so much global geopolitical uncertainty.
Here are the main areas of concern for the 2026 World Cup.
Will Iran withdraw?
This was the main question surrounding the FIFA World Cup when the United States and Israel went to war with Iran this weekend. So far, there are no indications that Iran plans to withdraw, either by boycott or for other reasons.
Iran is one of Asia’s strongest teams and will compete in its seventh World Cup this year.
The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, acknowledged the uncertainty in an interview on Iranian TV, according to Reuters and other media outlets.
“What we can say now is that, due to this attack and its brutality, it is far from us to be able to look at the World Cup with hope,” Taj said, according to the news agency.
Iran has two matches scheduled against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, a city that hosts a large Iranian diaspora community. The country will also face Egypt in Seattle.
FIFA has not commented directly. Its secretary-general, Mattias Grafstrom, said on Sunday that the organization will continue “monitoring developments on all matters in the world.” “We held the final draw in Washington with the participation of all teams. Our focus is to have a safe World Cup with the participation of everyone,” Grafstrom said.
“We held the final draw in Washington with the participation of all teams. Our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everyone’s presence,” said Grafstrom. Iran’s participation in the World Cup remains uncertain, but at least one thing is certain: its fans will have difficulty traveling to the United States, as Iran is one of the few countries with travel restrictions, although this does not affect the national team and its staff.
Will Mexico be safe for visitors?
The escalation of violence by armed groups across the country following the death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes last month has raised concerns about security in one of the tournament’s host countries.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that there will be no risks when the country hosts the World Cup, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his “full confidence” in Mexico.
Mexico will host 13 World Cup matches, including four in Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, where Oseguera Cervantes’ group is concentrated and where much of the violence occurred.
Concerns about violence are not new. Security issues were also raised before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, as well as the 2014 World Cup in Brazil — and both countries ultimately hosted their respective tournaments successfully.
Will the US host cities receive funding?
Concerns about finances are constant before major sporting events — and the US is no exception.
The 11 US host cities have not yet received $625 million in federal funding for essential security costs to hold the tournament, including Foxborough, Massachusetts. The funding was supposed to be provided by the Department of Homeland Security through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
A FEMA spokesperson directed NPR to a recent X post from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, noting that “FEMA was in the final stages of reviewing the requests to ensure proper oversight,” but that the partial shutdown affecting the agency — which she blamed on Democrats — has placed “a significant portion of FEMA staff on administrative leave.”
For some host cities, the issue is becoming urgent. The White House FIFA World Cup Task Force has not yet responded to NPR’s questions.
“Without receiving this money, the consequences for our planning and coordination could be catastrophic,” said Ray Martinez, operations director of the Miami Organizing Committee, at a congressional hearing, according to Politico.
Will fans be priced out?
Perhaps no other issue affects fans so directly as the exorbitant costs to attend the World Cup.
FIFA has set the highest ticket prices in World Cup history, making them inaccessible to many fans. The use of dynamic pricing has also generated controversy; the most expensive tickets for the final in New Jersey were initially sold for over $6,300, reaching nearly $8,700 in later sales.
In addition to high ticket prices, travel and accommodation costs have also skyrocketed. Even with all these challenges, FIFA claims to have received over 500 million ticket requests in its latest sales window.
That said, FIFA has provided little additional information to corroborate its claims, making it hard to determine if demand is concentrated only on marquee matches, like Colombia vs. Portugal in Miami, or mainly on top teams like Argentina.
Will President Trump and his policies deter fans?
Perhaps the biggest unknown is the effect that Trump and his administration’s policies will have on attendance at the World Cup.
Travel restrictions imposed by the government affect not only Iranian fans but also those from three other qualified countries: Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Haiti.
President Trump and his policies remain controversial both in the United States and abroad. Earlier this year, when Trump threatened to invade Greenland, some European officials considered a boycott, though the initiative did not materialize. Even former FIFA president Sepp Blatter urged fans to “stay away” from the United States.
And the recent US and Israel’s attacks on Iran — which followed the US capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro — reignited controversy around the FIFA Peace Award presented during the tournament draw in Washington, D.C., in December.
The US has already recorded a sharp drop in visitors for several reasons, including increased border scrutiny (such as the requirement to share social media posts), as well as concerns about violence due to high-profile murders involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Oxford Economics predicts an increase in visitors due to the World Cup, so tourist numbers may recover, at least partially, this year, although other surveys point to a decline in European visitors to the US.
It’s yet another sign of uncertainty in what promises to be the biggest tournament in history, just 100 days from kickoff.
Source: npr.org