“From my point of view, hosts of big sporting events like the FIFA World Cup and those who are responsible for the organization of the tournament, including FIFA, have a responsibility to ensure that the teams participating and the fans who are attending from those teams are assured of their safety and their security,” Micallef said in an interview with Politico. 

Micallef pointed to a range of concerns across host nations, including cartel-related violence in Mexico following the death of cartel leader “El Mencho,” the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in security operations, and tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

“Following the escalation of tensions that we’ve seen in the last few days, we’ve asked again for renewed assurance for all those traveling to the World Cup, especially since one of the hosts of this biggest sporting event in the world is party to a war,” Micallef said.

On Tuesday, Iran signaled it may seek to relocate its matches. Iran’s Embassy in Mexico said the country is negotiating with FIFA to move Iran’s World Cup matches from the U.S. to Mexico on Tuesday. 

“When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” Iranian football chief Mehdi Taj said in a statement on X translated from Persian.

Earlier this year, FIFA announced a partnership with the White House Board of Peace aimed at using football to support recovery and development in conflict-affected regions. FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the effort. “FIFA wants as many people as possible around the world to participate in our game and benefit from the opportunities it creates,” he said. 

Micallef raised objections to the partnership, warning that it could undermine existing multilateral organizations.

“Speaking as a European commissioner responsible for sport, I would prefer to partner up with multilateral organizations, organizations that respect the international rules-based order, like UNESCO and UNICEF, when it comes to the implementation of projects related to sport,” he said. 

WORLD LEADERS STRESS DIPLOMATIC RESOLUTION AFTER US-ISRAEL STRIKES ON IRAN

A FIFA spokesperson said safety and security are “top priority,” adding that the organization “is confident that the efforts being made by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States will ensure a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for everyone involved.”

U.S. officials have also emphasized their preparedness. At a December 2025 press conference, Executive Director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 Andrew Giuliani said more than $1 billion in federal funding had been committed to tournament security — one of the largest safety resource commitments ever made for a single event.