Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Bloomberg
Topics: Donald Trump, Football, JD Vance, Politics, Sport, US News, World News
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Donald Trump, Football, JD Vance, Politics, Sport, US News, World News
If you're planning to travel to the US to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vice President JD Vance has a warning for you.
Despite 'fumbling' the handling of the National Championship Football trophy when Ohio State University visited the White House last month, vice president JD Vance has been appointed by Donald Trump as vice chair of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Vance was rinsed on social media after dropping the trophy, seeing it split in two. One jokester even said the trophy was 'a metaphor for the US economy'.
However, he's since addressed the awkward moment during a press conference about the upcoming world cup - due to be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico - held yesterday (May 6), and he also issued a warning for some of those planning to attend.
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Vance said: "I'm proud to be the vice chair of this for a couple of reasons. First of all, the last time the president had me round the national or international sports trophy was the College Football Playoff National Championship, and I almost broke it, and so I appreciate the president giving me a second chance here.
"But of course, everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event. I know we'll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries.
"We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game."
Alas, there was a 'but' to Vance's speech, as the VP continued: "But, when the time is up, they'll have to go home, otherwise they'll have to talk to secretary Noem."
During the meeting, Noem - the US' Homeland Security Secretary - predicted over two million foreign visitors are expected to travel to the US for the cup.
She noted her department will work alongside the FBI and Department of State to ensure it goes 'smoothly'.
Transportation secretary Sean Duffy echoed a similar sentiment, reported by the Guardian as noting: "This is a short-term push of people coming in to see soccer matches, and then they’ll go home [...] But don’t overstay your visa."
Their comments follow Trump having signed executive orders cracking down on immigrants and green hard holders, as he has enacted mass deportations leading to over 250 alleged criminals being sent to the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) in El Salvador, which has been dubbed the 'world's worst prison'.
A man named Kilmar Armando Ábrego García, from Maryland, was sent there last month, with Trump's administration later admitting his deportation was due to an 'admin error'.
Despite acknowledging the 'error', the Supreme Court ruling Trump's administration must 'facilitate' García's return, and Trump admitting he 'could' ask El Salvador to return the father, García has yet to make it back to the US.