Sports
21 MPs Calling For Donald Trump’s USA to be ‘Kicked Out of World Cup’
The 2026 World Cup – which is set to be hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada – is on the horizon, but 21 MPs have signed a motion demanding that FIFA, world football’s governing body, should expel the USMNT from the summer’s showpiece after Donald Trump’s actions.
Lionel Scaloni and Argentina, over the summer months, will be hoping to retain their status as the footballing nation of the world but many other nations (England, France, Spain and Brazil to name a few) will be looking to upset the party by claiming the trophy themselves.
Ahead of the 23rd instalment of the biggest competition in the world, there have been concerns over whether the United States is a safe location to host the majority of its matches – including the final in New Jersey – and now, a group of MPs have rallied together in a bid to get them banned.
21 MPs Call on FIFA to Ban USA From 2026 World Cup Due to Trump’s Actions
In the aftermath of Trump’s recent decisions, a cross-party coalition has urged FIFA to contemplate removing the USA, despite them being the major host nation, from the competition. The President’s violations of international law, including the country’s actions in Venezuela, have been a major driving factor in the MPs joining forces against Trump and his entourage.
Trump has been accused of breaking the law by ordering commandos to seize Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in an operation on Saturday, while the 79-year-old’s “veiled and overt threats” against Denmark, Cuba and Colombia, too, have raised concerns.
Over the weekend, the US launched a sudden invasion into Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, to capture the nation’s President Maduro and leave the country in a state of uncertainty over its political and economic future. Trump has described the leader as a “narco-terrorist”, but he claimed to be a “kidnapped president” and a “prisoner of war”.
As a result, a total of 21 MPs have called for the USA to be banned from major world sporting events – including the 2026 World Cup. The motion calls on the Commons to express alarm over the “kidnapping” of Maduro and threats made against other sovereign states, including Denmark, Colombia and Cuba.
Labour MP Brian Leishman exclusively spoke to The Mirror about their joint motion. “This is rank hypocrisy by the international community and by sporting bodies,” he said before adding, “FIFA says its not political, but then it gives awards to Donald Trump.”
Mr Leishman continued: “Let’s have consistency. It’s an invasion of a sovereign nation and the kidnap of a president in Venezuela.
“I’m very critical of Maduro, I want to be very clear on that, but what we’ve seen is a breach of international law. When you see how Russia has been treated, which is absolutely correct, I just want there to be consistency.”
The joint motion argues that Trump’s actions “undermine the rules-based international order” and that sporting events “should not be used to legitimise or normalise violations of international law by powerful states”.
The cross-party group – who also insisted the Government must challenge “double standards in the enforcement of international norms” – is composed of 15 Labour backbenchers, a Liberal Democrats MP, four from Plaid Cymru and Your Party’s Jeremy Corbyn.
Elsewhere, Keir Starmer and Britain has claimed it stands with Denmark after Trump threatened to annex Greenland (a self-governing, autonomous territory) on national security grounds. Starmer said it is for the people of Greenland and Denmark to decide the fate of the former and that he discussed it during a call with the unpredictable US President.
USMNT’s 2026 World Cup Group
It was only in December when FIFA presented the President with its inaugural FIFA Peace Award, an honour many believe was introduced just so Trump could be the centre of attention at an event that should have focused on the coming-together of nations, all of whom will compete for gold next summer.
In the event the motion fails to come to fruition and USMNT are still allowed to participate, they are set to play Paragauay, Australia and the UEFA Playoff Group C winner in Group D of the World Cup.
The controversial host nation, spearheaded by AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic, are currently 50/1 outsiders to lift the World Cup trophy on home turf in July; they’ve qualified, since the tournament’s inception in 1930, on 11 occasions and their third-place finish in 1930 is their best result to date.
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USMNT’s Five Latest Results |
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Date |
Result |
Competition |
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10/09/25 |
USMNT 2-0 Japan |
Friendly |
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11/10/25 |
USMNT 1-1 Ecuador |
Friendly |
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15/10/25 |
USMNT 2-1 Australia |
Friendly |
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15/11/25 |
USMNT 2-1 Paraguay |
Friendly |
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19/11/25 |
USMNT 5-1 Uruguay |
Friendly |
Trump and officials at the White House will no doubt refute the motion, given they claim it’s their responsibility to set out the legal case for the operation in Venezuela. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and flown to the US, where they face trial on conspiracy charges.
