The United States have indicated that they will revoke the Colombian president visa. Colombian President Gustavo Petro will be unable to attend next year’s FIFA World Cup — to be hosted mainly in the United States — after Washington announced the cancellation of his U.S. visa following his participation in a pro-Palestinian protest in New York.

The U.S. State Department said on Friday that it had decided to revoke President Petro’s visa over what it described as “reckless and incendiary actions.” The decision effectively bars the Colombian leader from entering the United States, one of the three host nations for the 2026 World Cup, where Colombia recently secured qualification.

In a fiery address to demonstrators outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, Petro urged American soldiers to “disobey” President Donald Trump’s orders in relation to the Gaza war and called for the creation of an international force “bigger than that of the United States” to “liberate Palestinians.”

“From here, from New York, I ask all the soldiers of the army of the United States not to point their guns at people. Disobey the orders of Trump. Obey the orders of humanity,” Petro said in Spanish.

His comments drew swift backlash in Washington, with officials branding them a direct incitement against the U.S. government. “We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions,” the State Department posted on X (formerly Twitter).

It was unclear whether the Colombian president remained in New York at the time of the announcement. His office and Colombia’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to media requests for comment.

The visa revocation comes as a blow to diplomatic ties between Bogotá and Washington. It also means President Petro will not be able to attend the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada — a tournament in which Colombia’s national team will now compete without their country’s leader in attendance.

Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president and a staunch critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, had earlier accused President Trump during his U.N. address of being “complicit in genocide.” He also called for criminal proceedings over U.S. missile strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean.

Relations between the two countries have been uneasy since Trump’s return to the White House in January. Petro had initially refused to allow U.S. deportation flights to land in Colombia as part of Washington’s immigration crackdown, sparking a diplomatic spat before later reversing the decision.

The latest development further strains the historically close U.S.-Colombia partnership, leaving questions over future cooperation — and casting a political shadow over Colombia’s moment of sporting triumph on the global stage.

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President Donald Trump would look to move matches for the 2026 World Cup if he deems any of the U.S. cities planning to serve as hosts to be unsafe.

Speaking Thursday about the event, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, Trump was asked by reporters in the Oval Office specifically about games in Seattle and San Francisco.

“Well, that’s an interesting question … but we’re going to make sure they’re safe,” he said. “(Seattle and San Francisco are) run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing.”

Six matches are scheduled to be played at Seattle’s Lumen Field and six are set for Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., about an hour’s drive from San Francisco.

World Cup matters are overseen by FIFA, which determined the game sites and would figure to be in charge of any changes. However, Trump has a close working relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Trump cited his policies as helping make the country safer ahead of the World Cup. He sent the National Guard into Washington, D.C., last month to deal with what he called a “crime emergency,” and he subsequently said that the move resulted in the city having “no crime.”

He said Thursday, “As you probably know, we’re going into Memphis and we’re going into some other cities. Very soon we’re going into Chicago. It will be safe for the World Cup. If I think it isn’t safe, we’ll move into a different city, absolutely. It’s actually a very fair question.

“If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out of that city. So if any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the (2028) Olympics, you know where they have Olympic overthrow right, but for the World Cup in particular, because they’re playing in so many cities, we won’t allow it. We’ll move it around a little bit. But I hope that’s not going to happen.”

The draw for the World Cup, which will feature 48 teams, is scheduled for Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C.

-Reuters

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The build-up to the first-ever FIFA World Cup™ co-hosted by three nations has gained fresh momentum with the unveiling of a lively trio of mascots — Maple™ the Moose (Canada), Zayu™ the Jaguar (Mexico) and Clutch™ the Bald Eagle (United States).

FIFA announced the mascots on Wednesday, describing them as symbols of unity, diversity, and the shared spirit of football that will define the expanded 48-team tournament scheduled for 11 June to 19 July 2026.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the characters will play a central role in creating the festive atmosphere of the tournament.

“The 26 team has just got bigger – and more fun! Maple, Zayu and Clutch are full of joy, energy and the spirit of togetherness, just like the FIFA World Cup itself,” Infantino said. “They’ll win hearts and spark celebrations across North America and around the world. I can already picture them on children’s shirts, high-fiving football legends and starring in video games.”

For the first time in FIFA competition history, official mascots will also feature as playable characters in the upcoming digital football game FIFA Heroes, an arcade-style, fantasy-driven five-a-side title set for release in 2026 across mobile, console, and PC platforms. The mascots will also appear in FIFA Super League Soccer on Roblox, giving younger fans opportunities to engage with them virtually through themed quests and rewards.

Each mascot has been crafted to reflect the heritage and culture of its host nation:

• Maple the Moose embodies Canada’s creativity and resilience, with a flair for art, music, and legendary goalkeeping.
• Zayu the Jaguar draws from Mexico’s southern jungles, symbolising agility, ingenuity, and the nation’s rich traditions.
• Clutch the Bald Eagle represents the United States with fearless energy, optimism, and a midfield leader’s spirit.

Beyond the digital sphere, fans will encounter Maple, Zayu, and Clutch at matches, fan zones, and community events, as well as on official merchandise available through FIFAStore.com.

The trio’s unveiling is part of FIFA’s broader push to blend football with culture, gaming, and entertainment as the countdown to the biggest World Cup in history continues.

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