Trump asks African nations to back US World Cup bid despite FIFA warning

President Trump on Monday asked African nations to support a joint North American bid to host the 2026 World Cup, despite FIFA’s warning against political influence last week.

“I hope, all African countries and countries throughout the world, that we also will be supporting you, and that they will likewise support us in our bid along with Canada and Mexico for the 2026 World Cup,” Trump told reporters at the White House during a press conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

{mosads}”We will be watching very closely and any help that they could give us in that bid we would appreciate,” he said. 

Trump’s comments come days after he tweeted that the U.S. may stop supporting countries that lobbied against a joint North American bid for the World Cup. 

The U.S. has put together a STRONG bid w/ Canada & Mexico for the 2026 World Cup. It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid. Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations)?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2018

FIFA, in turn, cited its guidelines not allowing political influence in the bidding process. 

“As a general rule, we cannot comment on specific statements in connection with the bidding process,” FIFA, the international soccer governing body, said in a statement last week.

“We can only refer to the FIFA Regulations for the selection of the venue for the final competition of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and in particular to the Bid Rules of Conduct incorporated therein.”

The last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup was in 1994. Morocco is the only other country bidding on the 2026 event so far.