Novara Live “Stay Away From the USA!”: Sepp Blatter Calls for World Cup Boycott
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Jan 29, 2026 A former FIFA chief urges fans to boycott the US World Cup and experts debate whether a European-led sports boycott could gain traction. Safety and immigration concerns for travelling fans, especially from the global south, are explored. A local by-election scramble and internal party conflicts surface. Tesla’s profits dip as Musk shifts focus from cars to humanoid robots and the social costs of automation are questioned.
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Boycott As Political Signal
- Sepp Blatter and others urged fans to boycott the US World Cup over hostile immigration and policing policies.
- Dalia Gebrial argues such a boycott could symbolically isolate the US and signal diplomatic disapproval.
Sport As International Leverage
- Football and major sports often provide one of the few global stages ordinary people care about.
- Dalia compares sports boycotts to apartheid-era isolation of South Africa as an effective pressure tactic.
Think Twice Before Traveling
- Avoid travelling en masse to the US for the World Cup if you're non-citizen and at risk of immigration scrutiny.
- Dalia Gebrial warns fans could be detained for past tweets or minor arrests at US borders.