Advocacy groups and concerned community members made a list of demands for FIFA as they fear the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement might deter some international fans from showing up to the World Cup matches in Miami next year. Sports law professor Jack Anderson from the University of Melbourne has described the prospect of FIFA fully stripping the US of hosting rights as “unlikely,” stating it would demand “an extreme turn of events.” He emphasized FIFA’s close ties with the current US administration—including the awarding of a “global peace prize” to President Trump—as a factor making drastic action improbable. “It is unlikely that FIFA – the organisation that awarded its first global peace prize to Trump – would strip the US of its hosting rights. It would likely take an extreme turn of events for that to happen.” As next year’s World Cup matches near and immigration enforcement ramps up across the country, activists and advocates are calling on FIFA to take action. Thomas Kennedy, policy director at the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FIC), said the presence of immigration agents is driving fans away. The call comes after reports of ICE presence at Club World Cup matches sparked fear among fans and left stadiums nearly empty, despite a $46 million investment by the county.
- The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both of whom were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this year, have sparked debate over the role of ICE under Trump and the safety of fans this summer.
- As preparations continue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, rights advocates are sounding the alarm.
- Questions were raised about ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents at World Cup games earlier this month when the Club World Cup kicked off at Hard Rock Stadium.
- Shifting games to Canada or Mexico would disrupt logistics, scheduling, and preparations.
- Attorney Will Mann of the Community Justice Project warned that the 287(g) program turns local law enforcement into extensions of ICE.
Now, imagine what could happen to fans from the Middle East. The price for wanting to visit the US has meant having your electronics searched, your politics interrogated, or getting strip-searched and left naked in a back room at Logan Airport. But as we’ve seen recently, the treatment of people as they are entering this country has borne more resemblance to airports in Tel Aviv or Pinochet’s Chile than those in a democratic country.
Miami
The country has proven itself incapable of not abducting and imprisoning people entering it—boycotting US matches avoids putting teams, their families, and fans in danger. We want World Cup events to be held in Miami, but we also want Miami-Dade and FIFA officials to speak out and defend fans when ICE/CBP are quoted saying fans should bring proof of legal status to the games. Méndez also called on Miami-Dade authorities to withdraw from newly approved 287(g) agreements, which allow local police to collaborate with federal immigration enforcement. Yareliz Méndez, policy coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), was emphatic in calling on Miami’s local government to end any cooperation with immigration authorities in the context of sporting events.
Calls for boycotts have also come from UK MPs (in non-binding motions), German soccer figures, and human rights advocates, who argue the tournament’s unifying spirit is undermined. Blatter endorsed warnings from anti-corruption experts who described the US as too dangerous for visitors amid domestic uproar and immigration crackdowns. Force majeure clauses in such contracts typically cover uncontrollable events like natural disasters, wars, riots, sanctions, or other disruptions beyond the parties’ control. Speaking in an interview with SPORTbible, a Professor of Sports Law at the University of Melbourne claimed it was ‘unlikely’ FIFA will exercise their termination clause, but it could happen in ‘an extreme turn of events’.
- These events have fueled debate over whether FIFA should reconsider the US as host.
- The activists directly urged FIFA to take a stand on these concerns, arguing that its international reputation is at stake.
- However, the provision only applies to Canadian police and defence forces, not those of the US or Mexico.
- “These programs are causing chaos, fear, and uncertainty across our communities,” she added.
- When asked about ICE presence at the World Cup in Atlanta by a reporter at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dickens said the potential that Atlanta could be a new focal point for ICE was “unsettling.”
- Méndez also called on Miami-Dade authorities to withdraw from newly approved 287(g) agreements, which allow local police to collaborate with federal immigration enforcement.
If we continue acting like a pariah nation and a rogue state, then the rest of the world should act accordingly by boycotting World Cup matches taking place in the US. The very real fear is that their compatriots’ identification cards could be seized, and they could end up, without a trial, in some grim ICE gulag in perpetuity. Leaders from these countries realize that they can no longer guarantee the safety of their citizens, should they attempt to enter the United States. It’s no wonder that Canada, alongside numerous European countries, have issued travel advisories for the United States.
Bruno Fernandes Sends Fans Into Meltdown With Message To Cole Palmer
ICE has increased its presence in Atlanta, and a new ICE detention center is slated for construction and operation in Social Circle, Georgia, about 45 miles east of Atlanta. Eight matches will be played in Atlanta beginning in June, including five group stage matches and three from later in the tournament. A World Cup perceived as a venue for repression could tarnish not only the image of the tournament but also that of the host nation.
“We are literally vested and invested in this event, and FIFA is an international organization and international community holding an international event,” Billy Corben said. “We don’t want for people to be sitting at these games and watching family be separated, wondering whether or not ICE is gonna come to their betista casino seat in the stands and ask them for their papers.” “We want people to feel safe going to their games,” Yareliz Mendez-Zamora said. The arbitrary arrests and killings committed by agents of Trump’s authoritarian-style rule differ only in number, not in kind, from those in Iran. Attend matches in Mexico and Canada instead, and send the message that you refuse to support neofascist sportswashing.
The US Could Face Loss of 2026 World Cup Hosting Rights Due to Little-Known FIFA Clause
Although force majeure clauses exist in contracts for major sporting events, there is currently no indication that FIFA plans to strip the United States of its 2026 World Cup hosting rights. “It is unlikely that FIFA — the organization that awarded its first global peace prize to Trump — would strip the US of its hosting rights. If invoked, FIFA and the host country could legally terminate or modify the hosting agreement, including relocating matches. The US ceded its position as top destination for global travel in 2018, halfway through Trump 1.0, sliding behind countries like France and Spain in terms of international visitors. Countless soccer fans across the globe are planning on entering the United States in droves for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by North America, with games being staged in Mexico, Canada, and primarily the United States.
During a press conference held outside FIFA’s offices in Miami, spokespersons for several non-governmental organizations demanded guarantees of an environment free from immigration enforcement operations during the tournament. Activists are pressuring FIFA to ensure the 2026 World Cup remains free from immigration enforcement operations that could intimidate immigrant fans Despite this, it is unlikely that this will happen, given the US’s influence in international sports and the fact that it is a co-host country. FIFA could have the ability to revoke the United States of its hosting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup if a little-known contract clause is invoked.
FIFA Contract Clause Could Scupper Plans for ICE at World Cup
“As Atlanta steps onto the global stage, we are focused on making sure our entrepreneurs have access to the tools, information, and partnerships they need to succeed, during these major events and well beyond them.” On Feb. 3, Dickens and the City of Atlanta announced coordinated resources for small businesses to help during “major global events,” notably the World Cup. But this summer, millions of people from around the world will be coming to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and many have raised concerns about ICE presence at matches in U.S. cities. The spotlight is on the United States as tensions continue to rise over immigration enforcement operations.
The task force is housed in the Department of Homeland Security, with Trump serving as the chair (and Vice President JD Vance as vice chair), presumably during his time off from running the Kennedy Center and tanking the economy. The US’s “market share” of global travel has shriveled, falling from 12.8 percent in 2015 to 9.1 percent today. And what about those from the 43 countries on Trump’s draft list of travel-banned nations?
The United States has faced criticism over its military action in Venezuela, while Trump’s threats against Iran and Greenland have also received international condemnation. In just over four months’ time, the United States, Canada and Mexico will jointly host the greatest competition in world football, with 48 nations taking part in a newly-expanded format. A little-known FIFA contract clause could prevent ICE from being deployed at some games during the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Force majeure is defined as ‘a contractual clause that frees parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary, uncontrollable event—such as a war, strike, riot, crime, or “act of God” (natural disaster) – prevents them from fulfilling contract terms’. According to the 2026 World Cup rulebook, FIFA have the right to ‘cancel, reschedule or relocate one or more matches (or the entire FIFA World Cup 26) for any reason at its sole discretion, including as a result of force majeure or due to health, safety or security concerns.’ Due to a contract clause, it’s possible they could lose those rights if FIFA deem the situation to be serious enough. Not only were there conversations around potential boycotts, but a group of United Kingdom MPs called for the US to be kicked out of the World Cup, which they are set to host alongside Canada and Mexico.
Self-interest alone should keep countries away from the United States like the plague. Starting now, we need to push international sports federations to put in writing how their politics and policies will change to ensure the safety of not only tourists, but the players, coaches, and their families. For many globe-trotting soccer fans, the chickens have now come home to roost. Some respond to this blithely by pointing out that FIFA stages the World Cup in autocratic countries all the time. Given that ICE is being used as a masked abduction force, and given “border czar” Tom Homan’s contempt for the courts, it is unconscionable to encourage people to visit this country.
The ongoing Club World Cup, hosted in Miami-Dade, has been marked by low turnout and growing anxiety within immigrant communities. Previous reporting in August from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found it was one of the most active field offices in the nation, accounting for a particularly high number of arrests. There is already a major ICE field office in Atlanta, off Ted Turner Drive SW in downtown, which oversees operations in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. A spokesperson for the agency also did not provide a timeline for when more agents may be stationed there. At the end of January, ICE confirmed a new field office would soon be operating in College Park, but a specific location was not disclosed. Dickens said the city will have an inclusive tournament “despite somebody’s presence that I’m not inviting to come.”
The activists directly urged FIFA to take a stand on these concerns, arguing that its international reputation is at stake. A general exterior view of the signage at Levi’s Stadium, host venue for the FIFA World Cup 2026 The situation underscores the intersection of geopolitics and global sport, where FIFA’s contractual flexibility could become a focal point if tensions escalate further. Shifting games to Canada or Mexico would disrupt logistics, scheduling, and preparations.
Miami is one of 16 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico that will be hosting the soccer World Cup in June and July of next year. “We want the games to be safe, to be welcoming, we want the games to be a point of pride to our city, not another global embarrassment,” Thomas Kennedy said. People in this country do seem to be waking up to what we have become—now international sports federations need to do the same.