Fans Call for U.S. to Be Stripped of 2026 World Cup Hosting After Charlie Kirk Is Shot Dead

Fans and some commentators on social media called for the United States to be stripped of its 2026 FIFA World Cup hosting duties after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking onstage at Utah Valley University.

Kirk, 31, was struck in the neck during an on-campus event and was rushed to a local hospital, where he later died, President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform. Officials in Utah launched an urgent manhunt for the shooter. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of Trump, leaves a wife and two children.

Users on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, posted that the United States should not host the World Cup amid concerns about public safety after the shooting. One user wrote, "With the broad day light shooting and killing of Charlie Kirk, America should not be allowed by FIFA to co-host the World Cup." Another asked, "How will the World Cup be held in an unsafe country after the scenes of Charlie Kirk's murder?" Other posts asserted that holding the tournament in the U.S. would be unwise or unsafe and compared perceived responses to violence in the U.S. with those in other countries.

The tournament is scheduled to begin June 11, 2026, and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Of the 16 selected host cities, 11 are in the United States, and all matches from the quarterfinals onward are planned to be played on U.S. soil. The final is scheduled for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first U.S.-hosted match is set for the day after the opening, in Los Angeles.

Several figures from the sports world and broader public life reacted to Kirk's death. New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, former NFL player and podcaster Will Compton, and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy were among those who publicly commented. Vice President J.D. Vance posted, "Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father." Trump wrote, "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," and described Kirk as someone who understood the youth of the United States.

Kirk was married to Erika Frantzve; the couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May and had a three-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son. News accounts reported that Kirk was shot while addressing the audience and that medical personnel attempted to save him at a local hospital.

The shooting reignited broader public debate about gun violence and public-safety planning ahead of major international events. News organizations have documented a high number of mass shootings in the United States in recent years; CNN reported about 300 mass shootings in 2025. The shooting also follows other high-profile attacks and assassination attempts in recent years, including two attempts on Trump last year and the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December.

Fans’ calls for FIFA to reconsider the United States’ role as a host reflect immediate public reaction on social media rather than any official challenge to the tournament schedule. Tournament organizers and FIFA did not immediately release statements responding to the social media calls. Soccer officials and local organizers have previously emphasized security planning for the 2026 event, which will span three countries and dozens of venues.

Investigations into the Utah shooting were ongoing. Law enforcement officials continued efforts to locate and apprehend the suspect while authorities and public figures expressed condolences to Kirk’s family and called for more information as the situation developed.