Charlie Kirk’s assassination raises questions regarding USA hosting 2026 World Cup

by Nomonde Simelane

The recent gruesome public assassination of American right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk has not only traumatised the world at large, but has raised questions regarding the USA’s readiness to host the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup.

While speaking at an outdoor event hosted at Utah Valley University, which formed part of his “American Comeback Tour”, prominent conservative American political commentator Charlie Kirk was shot dead in front of his audience. The irony of his death is not lost on some, considering his stance on gun violence in the United States. It appears he became a statistic for the very thing he basically fought to protect.

“… I think it’s worth it to have a cost of unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment protect our other God-given rights,” he said.

While the rest of the world goes back and forth about whether Charlie’s death is worth celebrating or not, the football community has voiced concern over the frequency of the rate of public and mass shootings in the U.S, as another shooting was reported just hours after Charlie’s.

Furthermore, the U.S’s immigration policies, visa wait times, border enforcement and overall treatment of black and brown immigrants has also sparked some concern from the international community. They call on FIFA to either announce a change of host, or put some effective solutions in place.

Also see: ‘There has never been anyone so respected by youth’: Trump honours Charlie Kirk after tragic killing