More than 80 civil and labor rights organizations sent a letter to FIFA this week expressing their “deep concern” about the US government’s immigration policies ahead of the 2026 Men’s World Cup. The letter, published by ‘The Athletic’, focuses on President Donald Trump’s executive order banning visitors from 12 countries and the raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in several cities, some of which are tournament venues.
The signatory organizations, which include Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the NAACP, urge FIFA to “use its influence to encourage the US government to guarantee the fundamental rights of millions of foreign visitors and fans.”
Concern over immigration policies
In the letter, the groups warn that if FIFA remains silent, “not only will millions of people be put at risk, but the FIFA brand will be used as a public relations tool to whitewash the image of an increasingly authoritarian government.” Eight soccer fan clubs have also endorsed the petition.
FIFA has not yet responded to requests for comment on the letter. The organization’s president, Gianni Infantino, has repeatedly stated that both fans and foreign teams will have no problem entering the country during the tournament. “The world is welcome in America,” Infantino told the media in May.
The Trump administration has insisted that visitors will be welcome, but must leave the country once the tournament is over. Vice President J.D. Vance said, “We want them to come, celebrate, watch the games. But when the time is up, they will have to go home, otherwise they will have to talk to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.”
The human rights debate
FIFA already faced criticism and questions from human rights organizations before the last men’s World Cup, held in Qatar, which was found to have violated international standards regarding the rights of stadium workers, in addition to revelations that the choice of venue was influenced by vote buying. Now, the 2026 edition, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, once again places the debate on rights and guarantees at the center of the conversation.
