SPORTS fans are fearful for their safety ahead of the 2026 World Cup after a broad daylight assassination of a politician.
The United States is set to host the global soccer tournament next summer.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey is one of 11 US stadiums being used for the World Cup in 2026[/caption]
America is reeling from the broad daylight murder of politician Charlie Kirk[/caption]
Fans from across the globe will travel to North America.
And President Donald Trump has promised it will be the “biggest, safest and most extraordinary” World Cup in history.
But America is reeling from the murder of a politician this week.
Charlie Kirk was shot dead at age 31 while speaking at a rally in Orem, Utah on Wednesday.
Kirk was an ally of the President, who was left “filled with grief and anger”.
Trump called it “a dark moment for America” and labeled the murder “a heinous assassination.”
And fans have called for the World Cup to be moved from the United States over safety fears.
“The World Cup cannot go ahead in America, for everyone’s safety,” one X user declared.
Another posted, “Once again, hosting the World Cup in America is a terrible idea. This Charlie Kirk news is so heartbreaking.”
While a third said, “With the broad day light shooting and killing of Charlie Kirk, America should not be allowed by FIFA to co-host the World Cup.”
And one more wondered, “How will the World Cup be held in an unsafe country after the scenes of Charlie Kirk’s murder?”
The World Cup is due to be staged from June 11 to July 19.
Forty-eight teams will compete in games across the US, Canada and Mexico.
Eleven of the 11 venues to be used will be in the United States.
Kirk was shot dead while speaking at a rally in Utah[/caption]
President Donald Trump called the murder ‘a dark moment for America’ but previously promised the ‘biggest, safest and most extraordinary’ World Cup in history[/caption]
And America will also host all of the latter stages from the quarterfinals onwards.
USA is also staging the Olympics in three years.
Los Angeles is the host city for the 2028 Games, which will feature athletes from even more nations.
Kirk’s murder comes after Trump survived a similar assassination attempt last year.
Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania during his Presidential campaign when a sniper on a roof.
He survived the shooting after a bullet hit him in his upper right ear.
