Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter says soccer fans should avoid traveling to the United States for the 2026 World Cup this summer.

Blatter’s reasoning? His belief that President Donald Trump’s international aggression and immigration crackdown across the country makes it dangerous for fans traveling overseas.

Blatter cited Mark Pieth, an anti-corruption expert and law professor who oversaw the Independent Governance Committee during FIFA’s reform from 2013-16. Pieth spoke with Swiss outlet Der Bund, where he told soccer fans to, “Stay away from the USA!”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

“For the fans, there’s only one piece of advice: stay away from the USA!” I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup,” Blatter, 89, tweeted on Monday.

Pieth added in his interview: “You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home. If they’re lucky.”

The United States is set to co-host this year’s World Cup, as Mexico and Canada will be the site for games in the tournament that spans from June 11-July 19. However, after the Round of 16, all remaining matches will be held in the U.S.

Trump’s stance toward Greenland has led to a call to boycott the World Cup this summer by German soccer federation executive Oke Göttlich.

“I really wonder when the time will be to think and talk about this concretely,” Göttlich told Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper about a potential boycott. “For me, that time has definitely come.”

Trump said recently that a “framework of a future deal” with NATO involving Greenland and the Arctic region has been discussed, which could ease tension in that regard.

“Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

There is also the criticism of ICE agents in U.S. cities, specifically Minneapolis, Minnesota, following the deaths of two U.S. citizens as immigration crackdowns continue.

Pieth discussed that factor as well in his interview.

“The country itself is in a state of tremendous turmoil,” he said. “What we’re witnessing domestically — the marginalization of political opponents, the abuses by immigration authorities, and so on — doesn’t exactly entice a fan to travel there.

Pieth likened the States’ “security situation” to Mexico, where drug cartels threaten violence ahead of matches in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey. Pieth believes the U.S. has become “increasingly authoritarian.”

It’s worth noting Blatter was forced out of his post as FIFA president in 2015 following one of the biggest corruption scandals in the sport involving wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering.

Gianni Infantino took over Blatter’s role, and he has had a strong friendship with Trump.

The State Department also told Fox News Digital exclusively that it will launch the FIFA Priority Appointment Schedule System, or FIFA PASS, which will give World Cupp ticket holders the opportunity to access prioritized visa appointments before the tournament begins on June 11.

Prospective visa holders must be able to show that they qualify to obtain a visa and plan to follow the laws in the United States as well as leave the country once the tournament is over on July 19.

Trump spoke about the FIFA Pass in November, saying the Departments of State and Homeland Security had been working “tirelessly” to “ensure that soccer fans from all around the world are properly vetted and able to come to the United States next summer easily.”

“I’ve directed my administration to do everything within the power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success. I think it’s going to be the greatest, and we are setting records on ticket sales,” Trump said at the time.

Infantino said the organization expected “between 5 and 10 million people coming to America from… all over the world to enjoy the World Cup.”

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Brentwood’s Ethan Hill was so sick before Monday night’s basketball game against Crossroads that he searched for an open urgent care to give him an IV.

By the game’s end, when Brentwood came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat rival Crossroads 70-60, the 6-foot-7 Hill was using all of his final energy to dance with the delirious student section that got loud and boisterous and helped inspire the Eagles’ rally.

“I feel horrible,” Hill said as he rested on the floor of the team room afterward blowing his noise. “I’m so fatigued.”

Somehow, he played the entire fourth quarter and made five consecutive free throws to help hand Crossroads its first Gold Coast League loss.

One hero for Brentwood was junior guard AJ Okoh. He finished with 24 points. Crossroads (14-11, 5-1) could not stop him from driving in the second half.

“One of the best point guards in the country,” Brentwood coach Ryan Bailey said. “He doesn’t back down from anyone.”

Brentwood (22-3, 4-1) lost to Crossroads 72-56 on Jan. 9 in one of its worst performances of the season. This time, the Eagles, in front of their home crowd, were determined not to let their former player, Shalen Sheppard, get out of the gym with a win.

The emotions twice resulted in technical fouls against Brentwood players for taunting. At the end of the game when the buzzer sounded, officials ejected Sheppard and Brentwood’s Ryan Howard when they got into a little wrestling match. Crossroads, which starts four sophomores, received 16 points from Evan Willis and 14 from Sheppard.

Brentwood fell behind 32-23 at halftime. That caused Bailey to give a fiery halftime talk.

“I was proud how they fought,” Bailey said. “We had a little halftime speech and they responded and the home crowd was phenomenal.”

Augustus Sugarman aided the comeback with two three-pointers and two free throws in the fourth quarter. There were seven lead changes to start the fourth quarter until Brentwood pulled away.

Sam Darnold’s journey to a Super Bowl has been a long and winding one.

Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft out of USC by the New York Jets. He was the second quarterback taken behind Baker Mayfield and was a part of an epic rookie class at the quarterback position. Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Lamar Jackson were also taken in the first round.

Mason Rudolph, Mike White and Luke Falk were also quarterbacks from that draft class that earned starts during their careers.

If anyone took a peek at Darnold’s career through his first eight years, it reads more like a journeyman quarterback rather than one that a franchise was about to bet on. He played three seasons with the Jets before the franchise grew impatient and traded him away.

From there, Darnold was on the Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings. He took the Vikings to the playoffs after a career year and only built up on it when he signed a three-year deal with Seattle to replace Geno Smith.

Darnold had 4,048 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns as Seattle went 14-3 and earned the top seed in the NFL playoffs.

SUPER BOWL LX: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GAME

Now, he’s the first quarterback from his draft class to earn a Super Bowl appearance.

“You can’t talk about the game without talking about our quarterback,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said. “He shut a lot of people up tonight, so I’m happy for him.”

Darnold played through an oblique injury and was 25-of-36 for 346 yards without a turnover.

“Can’t say enough about Sam, man,” Seahawks star Jaxson Smith-Njigba said. “It’s been a great first year. We got one more to go. But for him to overcome what he had to overcome, I’m riding with Sam all day.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Now, the Seahawks will play in Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.