• FIFA is facing unprecedented pressure to apply the same standards that were previously enforced on Russia due to the Ukrainian crisis.

The storms of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela had barely subsided when its repercussions reached the corridors of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the International Olympic Committee, with voices rising around the world, demanding immediate punitive measures against the United States—up to revoking the right to host the 2026 World Cup—in response to what critics described as a “violation of sovereignty” following the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro.

The dramatic events that took place on the night of January 3, which ended with the arrival of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, handcuffed, in New York on the night of January 4 to face U.S. charges of “terrorism and drug trafficking,” sparked waves of widespread concern and anger, especially in South American countries, where the response went beyond political condemnation of President Donald Trump’s administration to calls for activating the “sports boycott weapon.”

In this context, FIFA is under unprecedented pressure to apply the same standards that were previously applied to Russia because of the Ukrainian crisis; many are questioning why international sports organizations have not condemned U.S. policy or barred American athletes from competing under their national flag, considering the current silence as clear evidence of “double standards.”

With less than six months remaining until the World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19, during which U.S. cities will host the majority of matches—78 games across 11 cities—threats of boycott appear more serious, as observers warn that the possibility of major South American teams refusing to participate would create a financial and sporting disaster for the tournament, a blow that Gianni Infantino and his team do not want.

On the public opinion front, social media platforms have been flooded with campaigns of denunciation, with activists launching hashtags demanding the cancellation of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the withdrawal of the World Cup, expressing themselves through sharp comments, including: “Boycott the 2026 World Cup and watch Trump lose billions of dollars,” while others sarcastically asked: “Will you change the host country? Or will you give Trump another Peace Prize?”—a clear sign of the level of tension now threatening to ruin the much-anticipated football festival.