Sepp Blatter has backed calls for fans to ‘stay away’ from this summer’s World Cup because of the actions of Donald Trump and his administration. Football’s biggest tournament will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico but concerns have been raised about Trump’s actions at home and abroad. He recently launched military action in Venezuela and is obsessed with the idea of acquiring Greenland against the wishes of Denmark, which it governs as an autonomous territory.

Meanwhile, the bitter social divide in the United States has deepened in recent weeks after two American civilians were killed by federal agents. Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, was shot dead earlier this month before intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was gunned down last weekend. Those incidents have led to widespread concern over the country’s suitability to host the World Cup in the summer.

Blatter was the latest prominent figure to make a statement about the World Cup in a post on X (formerly Twitter), which supported Mark Pieth’s comments from a recent interview with Swiss newspaper Der Bund.

Pieth, an attorney specialising in white-collar crime and anti-corruption, said: “If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans: stay away from the USA.

“You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home… if they’re lucky.”

Blatter, the former president of FIFA who stepped down in 2015 amid an investigation into corruption, shared the post alongside the message: “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”

Current FIFA president Gianni Infantino was asked about the message posted by Blatter on Monday and was quick to downplay concerns, arguing that the World Cup can still be a success.

He said: “People want to go, and they will go and celebrate together. We always, always celebrate football together.”

Travel bans have also been a major talking point ahead of the tournament, with fans from countries like Haiti and Iran unable to attend matches under the current rules.

Oke Gottlich, a vice-president of the German football association, recently insisted that a boycott of the World Cup must be seriously considered.

He said: “As organisations and society, we’re forgetting how to set taboos and boundaries, and how to defend values.

“Taboos are an essential part of our stance. Is a taboo crossed when someone threatens? Is a taboo crossed when someone attacks? When people die?

“I would like to know from Donald Trump when he has reached his taboo, and I would like to know from Bernd Neuendorf [president of the German football association] and Gianni Infantino.”