Donald Trump’s nominee for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Markwayne Mullin, has sparked serious concerns about the United States’ preparedness to host the 2026 World Cup. The US is scheduled to co-host the summer tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, with the inaugural match scheduled for Thursday, June 11, at the Mexico City Stadium.
Two days later, the World Cup is set to kick off in the States as USA face Paraguay at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Speaking to lawmakers on Wednesday, Mullin suggested that the agency responsible for ensuring the tournament’s safety is struggling. His comment came in response to a question about the partial government shutdown, which has halted operations for over a month.
Addressing the security preparations for the World Cup, Mullin confirmed that the DHS is “behind” and it is expected to take four months to train new staff needed to manage the summer tournament.
With the World Cup due to get underway in less than three months, there are genuine fears that the US may not be ready for the start of the tournament.
The primary obstacle facing the security framework is thought to be the ongoing lack of funding in Washington. The DHS department has been essentially shut down throughout the standoff, placing agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency under increased pressure.
Concerns had already been raised over Iran’s involvement, due to the ongoing global tensions, while Iraq requested assistance from FIFA for their play-off match against the winner of Bolivia and Suriname.
Nonetheless, FIFA COO Heimo Schirigi confirmed that the World Cup proper will go ahead as scheduled.
“At some stage, we will have a resolution, and the World Cup will go on, obviously,” Schirgi said on Tuesday. “The World Cup is too big, and we hope that everyone can participate that has qualified.”
Iran have also asked that FIFA relocate their group stage matches away from the US.
IFF president Mehdi Taj wrote in a statement: “When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America. We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.”