This summer’s World Cup has been marked by several controversies linked to the United States, which is staging 78 of the tournament’s 104 matches.
In April, rights organizations advised fans, players, journalists and other visitors to exercise caution when traveling to the US.
More than 120 groups jointly issued a travel advisory, citing what they described as a “violent and abusive” immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.
There has also been criticism of rising travel costs in the US during the tournament.
Against the backdrop of the US–Iran war in the Middle East, some members of Iran’s backroom staff were refused US entry visas. The team moved its World Cup base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, and now faces strict travel limitations during the competition.
Even so, Giuliani says he has discussed America’s ability to host the World Cup again with US President Donald Trump.
He argues that no nation is better positioned to stage the tournament than the United States, pointing to social media as evidence.
Giuliani says visitors encountering the US for the first time in years are finding it very welcoming, with strong infrastructure and existing stadiums—meaning US hosting costs amount to only a few billion dollars, rather than the tens of billions seen elsewhere.
He added that seeing what he described as the world’s renewed affection for the United States as it marks its 250th birthday has been deeply gratifying.