TalkSPORT star Jeff Stelling, who hosted Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday for 29 years, says Trump’s policies should disqualify the US from hosting the iconic football tournament
FIFA should strip Donald Trump of the World Cup and hand it to the UK, according to TV football legend Jeff Stelling. The talkSPORT star, who presented Soccer Saturday for Sky Sports for 29 years, said recent US actions were ‘utterly totally sickening’.
He backed a Manchester United fan who said on X: “Hosting a World Cup in the midst of all of this is completely irresponsible by FIFA.” Stelling replied: “Totally agree. They should look at alternatives like the UK tbh.”
Jeff’s blast on FIFA came as a result of a clip of Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticising a journalist for questioning the actions of ICE agents — tasked with hunting down illegal US immigrants — after 32 people died in their custody last year. It comes amid mounting concerns about America’s ability to stage the summer soccer showpiece.
At least 23 politicians from Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green Party, and Plaid Cymru have signed a motion in Parliament calling on sporting bodies to consider expelling the US from major international competitions including the World Cup. The group said the event ‘should not be used to legitimise or normalise violations of international law by powerful states’.
We told last week how the tournament had descended into chaos after the US slammed the door shut on visa applications from a third of the planet just weeks before kick-off. The State Department released an internal memo directing officials not to issue travel permits to folk from 75 countries.
Among them are 15 due to compete in this summer’s soccer showpiece – including five-time winners Brazil. The South American giants are in Scotland’s Group C along with Morocco and Haiti – who are both also on President Trump’s red list.
The visa processing ban, which starts on January 21, is indefinite while officials re-assess screening and vetting procedures to keep out people who could ‘exploit the generosity of the American people’. World football’s governing body FIFA insisted the freeze would only affect immigrant visas – sought by folk who plan to stay in the US for long periods – rather than short term tourist permits fans can use to enter the country for the tournament.
But sources accepted the move could trigger confusion and delays. “It’s a bit of a s*** show. Visa applications are complicated enough without this kind of chaos,” they added.
The memo directs consular officials to deny visas to applicants who may need to rely on public benefits upon entry to the US. Officials are instructed to weigh up a variety of factors for applicants including health, age, and English proficiency.
Spokesman Tommy Piggott said: “The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people. “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
The State Department will provide exceptions for some visa applications but it will be ‘very limited’. The freeze comes as Trump threatens to strike Iran following nationwide protests against the Islamic regime.
Fans of African nations due to play at the tournament have admitted they may not make it for the tournament’s June 11 kick-off. Senegal supporter Djibril Gueye said: “I don’t know why the American president would want to exclude teams from certain countries.
“If that’s the case they shouldn’t agree to host the World Cup. It’s up to the United States to provide the conditions, the means, and the resources that will allow the eligible countries to send all their citizens to support their team.”
Fatou Diedhiou, the president of a group of female Senegal fans, said: “We really want to participate but we don’t know how. Now we just wait because the World Cup isn’t here yet. Maybe they’ll change their minds. We don’t know. We wait and see.”
Fellow fan Sheikh Sy added: “We’ve travelled everywhere with our team because we are the national fans of Senegal. So, since Senegal has qualified for the World Cup, we absolutely have to go.”
Ivory Coast coach Emerse Faé said he hoped a solution will be found for the fans. “I believe things will be settled by the start of the World Cup,” he said.
“Football is a celebration and, for me, it would be a real shame — especially since the World Cup only comes around every four years — to not allow our fans to experience this celebration.” FIFA had not commented.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.