USA World Cup 2026 should be boycotted | Peter Oborne | MEE Opinion

Peter Oborne, associate editor at Middle East Eye, says that Keir Starmer’s silence over the US hosted World Cup exposes a glaring double standard. Four years ago, Starmer blocked Labour MPs from attending the Qatar World Cup and said he would not go even if England reached the final. Now, as prime minister, he has raised no objection to Donald Trump’s United States hosting the tournament. Oborne says that the case for boycotting the US is far stronger than the case made against Qatar. He points to the US and Israeli war on Iran, the US role in Gaza, sanctions on the International Criminal Court, threats against Greenland and Cuba, and strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific without evidence being provided. Oborne says that any other country with a similar record would face a boycott campaign. Instead, he argues, the tournament is going ahead because the host is Trump’s United States. He concludes that the 2026 World Cup, like Gaza, has exposed western claims to global fairness and the rule of law as corrupt, cynical and morally worthless. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at [email protected] Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye