2026 World Cup: After Donald Trump, Keir Starmer also reportedly influenced a FIFA decision

Political interventions surrounding the 2026 World Cup continue to fuel debate. Following the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun, it is now British Prime Minister Keir Starmer who is implicated in a case directly involving FIFA.

According to reports published by The Sun and Politico, the British Prime Minister intervened before the round of 16 match between England and Mexico to prevent a change to the match schedule. Faced with unfavorable weather forecasts in Mexico City, FIFA was considering moving the kickoff time forward by several hours.

This decision worried the English Football Association, which believed the change would significantly reduce the Three Lions' adaptation time to the altitude of the Estadio Azteca, perched at over 2,200 meters above sea level. Fearing this situation would benefit Mexico, English officials reportedly sought support from Downing Street.

According to the same sources, the British government quickly expressed its reservations to FIFA, believing that this change risked disrupting Thomas Tuchel's team's preparations. Ultimately, the world governing body decided to maintain the original schedule. However, the match only started an hour late, as a severe thunderstorm forced organizers to postpone the kickoff.

This is not the first time Keir Starmer has been involved in the tournament. A few days earlier, his government had already taken an exceptional measure by allowing pubs in the United Kingdom to remain open until 5 a.m. to enable English fans to watch their national team's matches.

This new revelation fuels questions about the growing influence of political leaders in decisions surrounding the 2026 World Cup. It comes as discussions remain heated around revelations concerning Donald Trump's intervention in the case of American striker Folarin Balogun, an episode that has already sparked numerous reactions.