US Soccer President Says Trump Presidency Would Hurt Country's Shot at Hosting World Cup

U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati says Trump presidency would hurt country's shot at hosting the World Cup.

Image via USA Today Sports/Kirby Lee

U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati has become the latest notable person from the sports world to speak out against Republican party presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Prior to the U.S. Men's National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Tuesday in Copa America Centenario, U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati met with the media to speak on several topics, including his understanding of the what's at stake for the U.S. to win its first World Cup bid since 1994. Gulati also detailed how a Donald Trump presidency would hurt the chances of America hosting the World Cup for years to come.

He says the World Cup's organizing committee could gain a darker perception of the U.S. based on who will sit in the Oval Office next year:

"The world’s perception of the United States is affected by who is in the White House. It has some bearing, for sure. Having somebody in the White House that gives the country an outward-looking view and a personality that is more easier accepted around the world is positive for the United States and then more specifically for hosting events here and for our general image from a sports perspective, but it’s far beyond sports. A co-hosted World Cup with Mexico would be a little trickier if Secretary Clinton is not in the White House. Can it help you or can it hurt you? Both.”

Gulati was subversive when answering a reporter who asked if a Trump victory could prevent the U.S. from bidding altogether for a co-hosted America-Mexico World Cup.

“We are going to bid for a World Cup if we think we are going to be successful. Whether we can be successful in a World Cup bid or an L.A. Olympic bid is affected by the world’s view of our leaders and not just leaders of the soccer federation. … Russia and Qatar are hosting events, so there are a lot of considerations that go into bid, and that’s why I am not willing to say we would not bid in one case and would in another. We are not going to make a decision about bidding until we know what the rules are, until we know who can bid, until what we know the size of the event is, but most critically in all of that, what the rules are in bidding. Would we love to host a World Cup in the future? Of course, yes, but only if we have a clear understanding and there is a fair and transparent set of rules.”

Latest in Sports