FIFA: Fear and uncertainty in final countdown to 2026 World Cup

(New York, June 10, 2026) – As the world awaits the opening whistle of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, players, fan groups, and human rights groups are highlighting the risks posed by the U.S. government’s visa bans, travel restrictions and abusive immigration operations, the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) said today.

On June 3rd, the SRA hosted a press conference with former professional players Matt Pacifici and Craig Foster, fans’ groups Independent Supporters Council and Football Supporters Europe, Human Rights Watch and other civil society representatives. Panelists contrasted FIFA’s promises of human rights with the reality for affected players, fans and communities.

“We are witnessing how rising authoritarianism, large scale conflicts, and the global retreat from multilateralism all have direct consequences to sport,” said Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance. “Global actors vie for power and use sport as a weapon. But there is no World Cup without the world. Sport belongs to all of us – and those most affected by these dynamics deserve to be heard.”

“This climate of fear that FIFA have allowed the U.S. President Donald Trump to put in place, is something that we have never seen before,” said Craig Foster, a former Australian National Team athlete, (Socceroos) captain and broadcaster. “Here we are, just a week out from a tournament where players – instead of being fully focused on the participation of their country and the support of their own fans – do not know whether their own fans from their own country are even going to be allowed in.”

With the vast majority of World Cup matches to be hosted in the United States, President Donald Trump’s abusive immigration policies have cast a dark shadow over the world’s biggest sporting event. In recent weeks, detained immigrants have gone on hunger strike and protestors have been violently repressed by ICE officers at Delaney Hall in New Jersey, only 15km from Met Life Stadium – the site of the final match of this World Cup, which will supposedly “unite the world.”

“U.S. immigration agents’ arbitrary and some violent arrests pose risks to fans and workers at the World Cup,” Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, said at the press conference. “There is still time for FIFA and the U.S. government to put in place an ICE Truce so fans can enjoy the tournament without fear of abuses.”

The press briefing also highlighted the lack of anti-discrimination protections, especially in the context of the U.S. administration’s attacks on LGBTI+ people in the past two years. LGBTI+ fans group Three Lions Pride had previously announced they would not travel to this year’s World Cup due to the lack of protections, exorbitant ticketing costs and other concerns.

“In addition to players like myself, you have the fans who expend their time and money,” said Matt Pacifici, former player and Athlete Allya term used to describe someone who is actively supportive of LGBTI people. It encompasses straight and cisgender allies, as well as LGBTI people who actively support other populations within the community at large. More ambassador, “You’ve got referees, medical staff, media teams, and ultimately, when basic human rights are not protected, all of these stakeholders are going to be looking over their shoulders.”

“The way FIFA has walked away from any form of anti-discrimination commitment when it comes to LGBT+ people is particularly worrying when you understand that this is an alignment with the Trump administration,” said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. “And just like everything else that the FIFA President is doing, he’s only weakening the position of FIFA by aligning himself with the Trump administration. Currently, FIFA have very little to no leverage on the Trump administration. And the missing protections for LGBT+ fans are a clear example.”

This is the first World Cup to be fully governed by FIFA’s Human Rights framework, adopted in 2016. Persistent delays and a lack of clarity on Host Cities’ Human Rights Action Plans, the Stadium Code of Conduct, and other key guideline documents have added to the chaos and lack of clear guidance.

“When we talk about the concerns with our members and what they’re worried about, not just for our fans travelling over, but even for fans here in the United States who are going to be attending, it’s really just consistency and policy,” said Bailey Brown, president of the Independent Supporters Council. “There has been a Code of Conduct posted online and on the World Cup app, which has everything from bag policies and battery units to restrictions on flags and banners. But there’s a lot of trust right now from FIFA that ticket holders are seeking this information out, which I don’t think the general fan normally does.”

“With FIFA World Cup headquarters in Miami, we met FIFA and the Miami Host Committee a number of times, constantly seeking to support and share serious local rights risks,” said Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, Florida Policy Coordinator with the American Friends Service Committee. “In a sign of the paralysis and dysfunction around this World Cup, the host city leadership just stopped meeting with us. Now, especially for immigrant communities – which is all of Miami – it feels like the tournament is happening to us instead of with us.”

Press freedom is essential to holding FIFA accountable for transparency and human rights around the 2026 World Cup, yet many journalists around the world are facing severe challenges and restrictions, including due to stringent U.S. visa policies and complex accreditation processes. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has issued critical safety resources for journalists covering this event to help journalists prepare and stay safe.

“All journalists coming to the U.S. have the right to conduct their work,” said Thibaut Bruttin, director-general of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). “But the Trump administration is trying to implement regulations that are not to the benefit of a free press. ICE activity has targeted journalists who have been detained, sometimes in dangerous conditions. FIFA has a responsibility to ensure that any journalist covering the event is treated respectfully and lawfully.”

Bruttin was joined by Maxime Gleizes to raise awareness of the case of his brother Christophe Gleizes – a French football journalist who has been wrongly imprisoned in Algeria for nearly one year. An Algerian court sentenced Gleizes to seven years in prison, just for reporting on a local football club.

“My message is to talk about my brother because he’s really keen on football,” said Gleizes. “He will be really glad, I will be really glad and all the family, to have a mobilisation of all the journalists in the entire world during the summer of the World Cup. I hope he will be free before the tournament ends.”