The Effects of US Immigration Policy on the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Overview 

Hosting an international sports tournament is a great opportunity for a country to boost its  global reputation, stimulate its economy, and cultivate an environment of unity and peace. For a  country to host, extensive planning must be done to ensure this event goes smoothly–which, in turn, demands a high degree of financial and political stability as well as compliance with international standards regarding protection of both the players and the audience. In the case of  the upcoming FIFA 2026 World Cup, there are three host countries: Canada, Mexico, and the  United States, which means that these responsibilities will be shared amongst them. However,  the United States has faced substantial scrutiny regarding its suitability to host the tournament.  Under the Trump administration, there has been a plethora of changes to foreign and domestic  policies, notably concerning immigration and the enactment of tariffs. The President of FIFA,  Gianni Infantino, states that at this upcoming World Cup, “the world will be welcomed”, but the  question remains as to whether the United States is truly fit to host the 2026 tournament. 

2025 Club World Cup 

This summer, the 2025 Club World Cup took place in the US, giving the nation a taste of what is  to come the following year. This event took place in twelve stadiums nationwide, from  Cincinnati to Washington D.C., with around 2.5 million fans attending matches in person.  However, following the conclusion of the tournament, FIFA received a total of 145 complaints  relating to human rights concerns – many of which were submitted through FIFA’s own due  diligence system. These complaints ranged from concerns about federal policy enforcement, unsafe conditions due to extreme heat, discrimination, and accessibility issues. Most notably, there were alleged sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and  Border Protection (CBP) officials at the stadiums, creating a heavily surveilled environment that left some spectators feeling uncomfortable. This began with a social media post that the CBP  made stating that its agents would be “suited and booted ready to provide security for the first  round of games,” which eventually got removed by a senior FIFA official due to the number of  reactions it provoked. This puts the US under heightened scrutiny, prompting renewed  questions about whether it will be safe or worthwhile for fans to attend the 2026 World Cup if  the environment remains hostile and intimidating.  

Trump’s immigration policies 

This all stemmed from Trump’s harsh stance on immigration, exemplified by Executive Order  14159 titled, “Protecting the American People From Invasion.” Section 4 of the order outlines  the Civil Enforcement Priorities, which essentially enables the heads of immigration and  security departments to take any measures deemed necessary to protect public safety and  national security interests. With Immigrations and Customs Enforcement recording its deadliest  year since the early 2000s, reporting 20 deaths and detaining 60,000 individuals in its ICE immigration detention centers. Additionally, in the case of Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem, the  Supreme Court granted an emergency request from the Trump administration, giving  immigration officers a ‘green light’ to stop anyone they guess to be in the U.S. illegally. This can  pose an issue as FIFA has a diverse audience of fans with 29 million Hispanic fans solely in the U.S. Given the anticipated level of law enforcement presence at stadiums, migrant communities may draw back, which would affect local attendance at the matches along with undermining the  World Cup’s broader message of international unity.  

Although much of the audience are only visiting for the World Cup and not residing in the U.S., entry will be more difficult than ever. There are an estimated 1.5 million foreign visitors who  have already attended the Club World Cup this summer and a projected 2.6 million visitors expected to attend next summer’s tournament. However, under the current immigration  policies, anxieties within migrant communities and among international fans are likely to  intensify. The previous two World Cups have had a speedy  visa process, but the U.S. has yet to offer this, making attending the tournament even more  strenuous on fans. The Trump administration has also implemented a travel ban which affects  19 countries – ranging from Cuba to Sierra Leone. This means that if citizens of these nations  are not athletes or staff, they would be unable to attend.  

What’s expected to happen? 

Given the current political and social climate in the United States, the upcoming 2026 FIFA  World Cup is expected to be met with both excitement and concern. While the tournament will  likely generate economic benefits, global attention, and a sense of pride among host cities, the  U.S. faces mounting scrutiny regarding its readiness to provide a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all. Following the controversies surrounding the 2025 Club World Cup, it is  anticipated that issues, specifically immigration enforcement, could overshadow the spirit of unity that FIFA promotes. Increased security presence, particularly involving ICE and CBP, may  deter members of migrant and minority communities from attending matches, reducing  domestic turnout and raising international criticism. Moreover, with stricter immigration  policies, extended visa processing times, and travel bans affecting multiple nations, attendance  from international fans could decline, potentially harming both the event’s image and its  economic success. Overall, while the U.S. has the infrastructure and resources to host a world class tournament, it is expected that political tensions and enforcement policies may challenge  the country’s ability to uphold FIFA’s core values of inclusion, peace, and global cooperation.