Published On 4/23/2026
More than 120 civil society organizations, along with fan associations linked to Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League, have warned that visitors to the World Cup in the United States this summer could be at “serious risk”, especially those from immigrant communities and racial and ethnic minorities, due to government policies they see as increasing their risk of harm while traveling within the country.
The Athletic newspaper reported that this warning came in a guidance note published today, Thursday, addressed to fans, players, journalists, and other visitors, in which it called on everyone to “exercise caution and develop an emergency plan,” in light of what it described as “the rise of authoritarianism and increasing violence during the era of the Donald Trump administration.”
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Worrying indicators
The organizations based their warning on a number of data, including the recording of 48 deaths inside US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers since the beginning of 2025, and the imposition of total or partial restrictions on the entry of visitors from 39 countries, in addition to the spread of members of this agency at American airports in recent months.
Among the signatories to the statement: Amnesty International USA, Reporters Without Borders, and the American Civil Liberties Union, along with 20 fan associations in the United States, representing the eleven host cities.
Although the 2018 World Cup and 2022 World Cup also witnessed human rights concerns, issuing a warning of this magnitude from within the host country itself is considered unusual.
6 major risks
The memo warned of six potential dangers that it said “violate US human rights obligations,” namely:
- Arbitrary entry refusal with possible detention or deportation.
- Expanded restrictions on travel and entry.
- Intensive inspection of social media and electronic devices.
- Violent and unconstitutional enforcement of immigration laws, including racial discrimination.
- Suppression of freedom of expression and protest.
- Risk of ill-treatment inside detention centres.
It also advised visitors to secure their electronic devices, delete sensitive data, disable facial and fingerprint recognition features, and inform relatives of travel plans in detail.
Criticism of FIFA
“The Athletic” quoted Jamil Dakour of the American Civil Liberties Union as saying that FIFA “is content with slogans about human rights as it approaches the Trump administration, exposing millions to potential violations,” calling on FIFA to use its influence to impose real changes and clear guarantees.
For her part, Jennifer Lee, from the “Rackama 2026” coalition, indicated that the immigration issue has become “the biggest source of concern” for local organizations, stressing that the absence of clear pledges from FIFA and the organizing bodies less than two months before the tournament raises concern.
FIFA and the White House responded
On the other hand, FIFA stressed its commitment to human rights, based on its strategy for the 2026 World Cup, which includes regulatory frameworks and mechanisms for receiving complaints, in addition to an independent advisory group.
The Trump administration strongly rejected these warnings. Andrew Giuliani, director of the World Cup Task Force at the White House, said that the United States is “preparing to organize the greatest sporting event in its history,” stressing that the safety standards and experience provided to visitors are unparalleled.
White House spokesman Davis Engel added that the tournament will be “one of the greatest events in human history,” considering that these warnings are “just ridiculous attempts at intimidation” that will not affect the country’s preparations.
In a related context, reports revealed that senior FIFA officials discussed the possibility of requesting Federation President Gianni Infantino to suspend immigration raids during the tournament period.
Although the authorities have confirmed that the role of the US Department of Homeland Security will focus on security investigations, fears still exist that its activity will extend to raid campaigns targeting World Cup events, especially after reports of monitoring immigration officials in stadiums during a previous tournament.
