Perspective: Donald Trump’s Attempted Assassination, An Attack On America’s World cup Hosting

Written By Jacobs Dunga

If Donald Trump’s failed assassination in Pennsylvania meant little to the political locale, it conversely spells a huge scare in the footballing world.

The 2026 World Cup is set to take centre stage across sixteen cities in three North American nations.

With exactly two years to the La Copa Mundial, the recent assassination attempt on presidential candidate Donald Trump did nothing but accentuate the growing concerns about the United States’ efficient hosting of the coming World Cup.

The presidential aspirant escaped a gun attack in Butler, Pennsylvania, with the gunman reportedly dead while another sustained injuries.

This violence does nothing to quash the growing speculations about the poor state of security in the United States going into the 2026 World Cup.

Known for its notorious gun violence, fans around the globe have thrown into questioning the decision to award the hosting right of such a prestigious football festival to a nation with such a daunting security reputation.

Whilst Qatar was scrutinized for its human right laws, The United States is fast gaining a repute to probably host the most politically controversial and divided World Cup ever.

According to statistics, 23 minors are shot in the United States everyday. In a wider context, 327 people are shot daily with 117 ending up dying.

The gun violence in the United States is such an epidemic that it has been termed a “uniquely American issue”, a theory that discombobulates every football fan hoping to get on the plane to the over 300 million populated nation.

If an intending number one citizen of the state could be shot at in open space despite the garrison of security operatives, the life of every visitor to the country come 2026 could be hanging by a thread.

Having more civilian owned firearms than people (the only country in the world with such), resulting in one of five Americans having a loved one fatally shot. Another worrying concern for fans of football across the world.

In admittance to underlying security issues in the state, the director of NYU’s Centre for Business and Human Rights Michael Posner had this to say, “The thought that you can remove any considerations of politics or social issues or human rights from sports — if anybody’s still saying that, they’re not being honest.” This statement all but ratifies public opinion on the safety of travellers to the United States for the World Cup.

Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors’ coach, lost his father to a gun attack 36 years ago, a testament that sports can be directly or indirectly affected.

Jackson Weller, Jaylom McKenzie and Corey Ballentine who played baseball, football and basketball respectively are examples of sportsmen who have died as a result of gun violence in the United States.

Would fans rather risk their lives to get on the plane to the United States or take caution by joining the campaign from the comfort of their homes? A million dollars question that FIFA would only have answers to at the end of the tournament.

In the United Kingdom, tourists travelling abroad are informed as part of their travel alerts that mass shootings in the USA is nearly a certainty. This indicates that we just might have less fans travelling from England as it was the case during the last edition in Qatar.

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The question as to whether the gun violence epidemic will affect the success of the 2026 World Cup is highly polarized with opinions divided across the football world.

Take it or leave it, the political disposition on how the right was awarded to the United States and sister nations will continue to linger in the lead up to the World Cup. However, FIFA, in collaboration with the United States government could adopt a stricter measure for gun control, at least, in and around stadiums during the tournament, a move that could be the perfect clampdown on the epidemic.

With two years before the football fiesta, lovers of football around the world follow situations in the United States with keen interest as it tends to factor heavily on fans presence at the Mundial.

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