The 2026 Fifa World Cup is set to take place next month across 11 cities in the United States, but comments from the Trump administration have sparked fears among human rights groups that soccer fans – particularly non-English speakers or those with accents – may be at “risk.”
“We wanted to warn visitors and tourists of the risks of coming to Florida for the World Cup,” said Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, policy coordinator for American Friends Service Committee, speaking with Zeteo for its report published on Sunday.
“We’ve seen videos of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] (ICE) murdering U.S. citizens, heard stories of tourists with valid visas who still end up in detention. We’ve seen how ICE and local law enforcement will racially profile people. For fans who don’t speak English or speak English with an accent, this makes them more vulnerable to being detained after a routine stop.”
The Trump administration has already vowed that ICE would play a “key part” in providing security for the World Cup, a vow that was reiterated last week by Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
When pressed for details, a DHS spokesperson told Zeteo that ICE’s mission was to “ensure every fan – Americans and visitors alike – has a safe and unforgettable experience” at the World Cup, but suggested that undocumented migrants would still be a “target” for the agency.
Amy Fischer, the director of refugee and migrant rights for Amnesty International, warned that ICE's presence at the World Cup could pose risks well beyond the stadiums themselves.
“During the World Cup, there is real risk that ICE’s involvement could extend to airports, stadiums, and surrounding neighborhoods, creating fear and threatening the rights to peaceful assembly, non-discrimination, and due process,” Fischer told Zeteo in an email.
“Particularly concerning is the administration’s abusive and unchecked immigration enforcement tactics and harm they are causing. ICE is inciting fear in our communities, tearing families apart, arresting people without warrants, and inflicting death, cruelty, and suffering in our communities and on those in its custody. This is not public safety; it is state-sponsored violence.”