Human Rights Groups call for immigration enforcement truce at 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S.

Human rights groups are calling for an "ICE Truce" during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, urging U.S. officials to halt immigration enforcement at tournament venues. The call, backed by unions and fan groups, comes amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, which advocates say creates a climate of fear. Concerns are heightened by visa denials for participants, including a Somali referee.

Call for World Cup Immigration Truce

• ▪Some FIFA partners, such as Adidas and Lenovo, stated they are not responsible for host country government policies or security arrangements
• ▪The proposed "ICE Truce" is a public commitment from U.S. officials to halt immigration enforcement operations at all World Cup events and venues
• ▪Six sponsors, including Adidas and Coca-Cola, replied describing engagement with FIFA on human rights but did not comment on the truce
• ▪Human Rights Watch and the Sport & Rights Alliance are calling for an "ICE Truce" for the 2026 World Cup in the U.S.
• ▪In May and June 2026, advocacy groups wrote to 19 FIFA corporate sponsors asking them to support the "ICE Truce."

World Cup visa denials

• ▪In April 2026, the ACLU and more than 120 other organizations issued a travel advisory for the U.S. ahead of the tournament
• ▪Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was set to be the first Somali referee at a World Cup, was denied entry to the United States
• ▪U.S. immigration officials said referee Omar Artan was "inadmissible due to vetting concerns."
• ▪Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was detained and questioned for nearly seven hours upon his arrival at a Chicago airport for the World Cup

Infantino-Trump political relationship

• ▪FIFA President Gianni Infantino has cultivated a close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump
• ▪In December 2025, FIFA awarded President Donald Trump its inaugural "FIFA Peace Prize."
• ▪The justification for the "FIFA Peace Prize" was Trump's "unwavering commitment to advancing peace and unity throughout the world."

Fifa neutrality violations

• ▪FIFA's handling of the 2026 visa issues contrasts with its 2023 decision to strip Indonesia of hosting the U-20 World Cup for refusing entry to Israel's team
• ▪A contractual condition for hosting a World Cup is ensuring free movement for all participants, a principle not fully met for the 2026 tournament
• ▪FIFA statutes require the organization to remain politically neutral, but critics point to President Infantino's relationship with Donald Trump as a breach

Immigration Enforcement Concerns

• ▪U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin said that while mass immigration enforcement is not the goal, arrests by federal agents at World Cup events are "not entirely off the table."
• ▪The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that international visitors legally in the country "have nothing to worry about."
• ▪Activists and civil rights groups are concerned the presence of ICE will create a climate of fear, deterring attendance from immigrant communities
• ▪A union representing over 2,000 food workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles secured the right to strike if ICE threatens worker safety
• ▪U.S. officials have confirmed that federal immigration agents will be present at 2026 World Cup venues for security purposes