While he put himself front and centre during the buildup to the 2026 World Cup, Donald Trump hasn’t been seen at a match yet since the showpiece tournament began on June 11 – and now there is a new reason for him to avoid fixtures involving four English-speaking teams for the remainder of the competition.

The US president was on course to be one of the most talked-about figures across the USA, Canada and Mexico for quite some time, given the context of entry issues, political tensions with Iran, and his push to advance some of his more controversial policies through the vehicle of sport.

However, Trump has gone somewhat AWOL in recent days. Many football fans and neutrals alike would argue that’s a good thing, and now one explanation for his sudden disappearance has been put forward.

Why Donald Trump Might Avoid Matches Involving English-Speaking Teams

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According to the Mirror, the 80-year-old ‘may not attend’ a World Cup match involving an English-speaking team, after brutal fan chants linking the president to his old friend Jeffrey Epstein went viral. Concern is understood to be so high that questions are being asked about whether the US leader will present the trophy at the July 19 final, amid fears over what supporters could sing should he appear.

What’s more, White House officials are claimed to be attempting to shield Trump from the hostility on the terraces, particularly from fans of Scotland, England, Australia, and New Zealand. A source said:

The source concluded: “His staff are in crisis mode trying to prevent the President from being exposed to the chants in person, and that includes avoiding matches involving English-speaking teams.”

Broadcasters Have Been Made Aware – But Chants Stopping Unlikely

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Lead broadcasters have already been made aware of the chants being heard at matches, perhaps to ensure they are ready to muffle them like they do anti-Keir Starmer songs at the Darts and in the Premier League.

But they are unlikely to stop fully, with supporters drawing attention to Trump’s long-documented friendship with Epstein, the pedophile who died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

The pair moved into the same social circles throughout the 1980s and 1990s and were photographed together on numerous occasions. In a 2002 interview with New York magazine, Trump described Epstein as a “terrific guy” and said he was “a lot of fun to be with”. The president has since sought to distance himself from his former friend, saying the pair fell out years before Epstein’s criminal convictions and insisting he barred him from Mar-a-Lago.

The issue has returned to the political spotlight because of continuing controversy surrounding the release of Epstein-related court documents and investigative files. Trump’s name, along with those of numerous public figures, has appeared in released records.

A World Cup match is at ‘severe risk’ of a temporary suspension on Monday evening, with a little-known US rule coming into focus ahead of a crucial group-stage fixture.

Disruptions have regularly threatened to overshadow this summer’s tournament, though none have significantly affected proceedings so far. Entry issues, visa complications, and geopolitical tensions have all created uncertainty across the USA, Canada and Mexico, but FIFA have largely managed to navigate those challenges up to this point.

However, a relatively unknown protocol – one that was used during the Club World Cup won by Chelsea in the United States last summer – could come into effect again. If triggered, it could lead to significant delays during one of Monday’s most eye-catching matchups.

World Cup Match at ‘Severe Risk’ of Temporary Suspension

According to RMC Sport, via Tribuna, the second-round group stage match between France and Iraq, scheduled to take place at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, could be temporarily suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

Thunderstorms are forecast during the game. The tournament enforces a specific safety protocol that requires a mandatory pause in the event of a lightning strike near the stadium. If lightning is recorded within a radius of approximately 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the venue, the match will be stopped for a minimum of 30 minutes. In the case of a repeated strike, the countdown will reset.

Rules for suspending matches due to weather conditions are based on current regulations applied during sporting events in the United States, as reported by The Guardian.

Chelsea’s Round of 16 tie against Benfica in last year’s Club World Cup was suspended in the 86th minute when lightning was detected in the area, and the match didn’t continue until four hours and 38 minutes after it had begun.

France Expected To Score For Fun – But Lasting Fatigue Could be Issue

Credit: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

An attacking trio of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise – all of whom are in the running for the Ballon d’Or – is expected to feast on the Iraq defence on Monday night, and any issues surrounding the match are unlikely to stem from the action on the pitch.

As one of the tournament favourites, Les Bleus may not get an easier fixture. However, the performances of Cape Verde, Curacao and other smaller nations at this World Cup have shown that nothing can be taken for granted, despite their convincing 3-1 opening win vs Senegal last week.

Indeed, the biggest concern may be the possibility of the match lasting longer than one that goes to extra time and penalties due to a pending thunderstorm. Such a delay could have an impact in the latter stages of the tournament, although Didier Deschamps may be in a position to rest some of his key players by halftime, depending on the scoreline.

Dana White has responded to Josh Hokit’s comments regarding Michelle Obama, describing them as ‘stupid’ after the fighter’s words in the aftermath of UFC Freedom 250.

Hokit sparked massive mainstream backlash following comments he made in his post-fight interview on the White House South Lawn. He remarked that “Michelle Obama is a man” and followed that up with “Am I right, America?” This came after he secured victory over Derrick Lewis and extended his record to 10-0; that is what should have been the talk of his night.

Being interviewed by Joe Rogan inside the cage, Hokit began by praising Donald Trump and calling out Alex Pereira for a potential bout down the road. It was at this point that he abruptly made the switch and started referencing the former First Lady. Rogan looked taken aback by what he had said and quickly ended the interview before the heavyweight could say anything else.

Dana White, UFC CEO, has since called the remarks ‘disgusting’, ‘stupid’, and ‘nonsense.’

Commentator and former two-division champion, Daniel Cormier, has also lambasted the outburst. He called it ‘lame’ and that he ‘absolutely hated that’, also adding that Hokit ‘needs to do better.’

Dana White’s Decision on Josh Hokit

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Despite the intense backlash, White has clarified that he will not be cutting the fighter from the promotion as punishment for these comments. He cites his profound belief in free speech as the reasoning behind this decision, and it is this belief that has kept several fighters from being cut in the past after making similarly controversial comments.

Speaking after Saturday’s UFC event, White said: “There’s always going to be people that say things that most of us don’t agree with. I mean, just the time, the place, you know?

“I’ve said many times, listen, I voted for Obama the first time, didn’t vote for him the second time. Then, when I was at the inauguration, he was sitting in front of me, and I saw all this stuff on the internet where people are like ‘Dana is mad dogging Obama…’

“Obama is the only one who turned around to me, couldn’t have been a nicer guy, and said, ‘Congratulations on all your success and everything you’ve done’. I said, ‘Thank you, Mr. President,’ and I don’t believe in this s***.

Previously, featherweight Bryce Mitchell came under fire for making a series of deeply offensive anti-Semitic and homophobic comments on a podcast last year, even going as far as to defend the actions of Adolf Hitler.

Despite White slamming the remarks as some of the ‘dumbest’ things anyone has ever said, he refused to punish Mitchell at all. This reiterated his stance on not cracking down on unpopular speech.

Hokit has since doubled down on his comments, refusing to back down from what he said and targeting his critics directly. He particularly went on a rant when speaking about Cormier and ended by saying: “I’m not here for unity; in reality, there will never be unity… I come to divide people’s faces. If you don’t like it, then come do something about it…”