England's players are worried about being turned into "political spokespeople" at the World Cup, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has said. The tournament, to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, kicks off on 11 June. But alongside the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, the build-up has seen rights groups raise concerns over issues such as the Trump administration's immigration policies. "We're talking about people who are smart, who are socially conscious, people who understand that they don't live in a bubble," Molango said. "Because instead of having the government or having the governing body showing leadership on certain topics, all of a sudden the players were asked to become political spokespeople and that's not what they are.

Source: BBC March 03, 2026 15:38 UTC