Gary Lineker has branded the United States an "extraordinarily racist" country as attention begins to turn towards the 2026 World Cup, which they will co-host.
Lineker has been scathing in his criticism of Qatar, who are hosting this year's edition of the tournament. The Match of the Day host has frequently taken aim at their numerous human rights abuses, the treatment of the LGBT+ community and the deaths of migrant workers.
Qatari organisers have hit back at Lineker by claiming he has not criticised western hosts of the tournament in the same way. Lineker appears to have moved to dispel those comments though by now also taking aim at the United States.
The USA will co-host the next World Cup, alongside Canada and Mexico, with America set to hold 60 of the 80 scheduled games. Lineker famously devoted his opening monologue of this year's tournament to blasting Qatar for its human rights record.
The former Tottenham and Barcelona star has now admitted to being left conflicted by the tournament's on-pitch spectacle. But he also opted to discuss the next hosts, for the state of racism in the country.
“We pointed facts out at the beginning of the tournament; those facts remain. So, lots of people were killed doing the stadiums. Yes, the stadiums are extraordinary, but at a great price," Lineker told The News Agents podcast.
"Homophobia is an issue here, women’s rights are a little bit of an issue here. For me, it was always really more about the corruption side of it because, as I said previously, I think pretty much every country, including our own, has got issues.
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"And we’re off to America in four years’ time, with Canada and Mexico, but obviously America’s an extraordinarily racist country. So, there’s always issues but it was more the fact that we just pointed out a few facts.
"Particularly the aspect of it being so corrupt – they said it was going to be summer and it was in the winter. I don’t think anything’s particularly changed but it’s been a cracking tournament but that’s football; football is a wonderful sport.”
Lineker had been slammed by Hassan Al-Thawadi, who is head of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy of the World Cup for his highly-critical monologue at the start of the tournament.
“It should be about football. The way the BBC covered the opening ceremony is not about football. The way Gary Lineker took three minutes… they never bothered to do that with any other tournament," Al-Thawadi said.
"They never bothered to listen to the other side or at least present a balanced view to be able to sit down and move forward. There are definitely agendas that are presented very clearly that are beyond football. I want it to be about football and the fans.”
