Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, has accused Sir Keir Starmer of putting lives "at risk" after the Prime Minister intervened diplomatically to prevent England's last-16 match against Mexico from being rescheduled due to thunderstorm fears.
Speaking to TalkSPORT, Giuliani dodged questions about Donald Trump's call to FIFA regarding a red card for US striker Folarin Balogun, instead targeting Starmer's actions. He claimed the decision to keep the kick-off time at 6pm local time (1am UK) led to the deaths of three Mexican fans during celebrations after Mexico's victory over Ecuador in the previous round.
Giuliani's Allegations and Context
Giuliani stated: "Keir Starmer's intervention through diplomatic channels of not allowing the Mexico-England match time to be moved... three Mexicans died in this celebration. There were discussions about moving that match time from the evening to noon so then you would have less risk of life to Mexicans."
However, the three Mexican fans died from asphyxiation due to crushing during celebrations, with no evidence linking the deaths to the kick-off time or weather conditions. The match in question was Mexico's 2-1 win over Ecuador, not the England game.
FIFA's Proposed Change and Opposition
FIFA had considered moving the England vs Mexico match forward by six hours (from 1am to 7pm UK time) due to thunderstorm forecasts at Estadio Azteca. The Football Association and the Mexican FA opposed the change, with England arguing it would give Mexico an unfair advantage due to altitude adaptation.
Sir Keir reportedly backed the FA's concerns through diplomatic channels, leading to the proposal being dropped. England went on to win the match 2-1, with Jude Bellingham scoring.
Political Reactions and Fallout
Giuliani, son of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, described Starmer's intervention as "far graver" than Trump's involvement in the Balogun red card controversy. He added: "Heads of state looking at something that happens potentially on the pitch... that's far graver when you think about the consequences."
The White House has not officially commented on the matter. The Daily Star reported that Giuliani's facts appeared incorrect, as the fan deaths occurred during Mexico's earlier match and were not weather-related.
