Overview
- Reports say U.S. forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro, prompting questions about sporting consequences.
- FIFA has no open procedure against US Soccer and its rules do not provide for punishing a federation over its government’s military actions, with past suspensions tied to direct interference.
- The 2022 exclusion of Russia is cited as a rare, coordinated response linked to security and boycott risks rather than a routine disciplinary reading of the statutes.
- With binding contracts and logistics in place months before kickoff, outlets report the 2026 tournament schedule and hosting plan remain unchanged.
- CONMEBOL is monitoring Venezuela but expects its clubs to compete in Libertadores and Sudamericana, with venue changes an option if security requires.