World Cup poses ‘chilling threat’ to players in human rights warning | Football | Sport

Amnesty International has warned that players travelling to this summer’s World Cup in North America could face a “chilling threat” from ICE agents amid a “human rights emergency.” The 2026 edition of the prestigious tournament is scheduled to be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The human rights organisation further claims that FIFA may struggle to deliver on the “safe, welcoming and inclusive” environment it has promised for the competition. In a report entitled Humanity Must Win, Amnesty International examines President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policies, given that the majority of the World Cup will be staged on American soil. The organisation alleges that human rights concerns are at risk due to “discriminatory immigration policies, mass detentions and arbitrary arrests by masked, armed agents from ICE, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other agencies.”

Beyond the difficulties some travelling supporters may encounter when attempting to enter the United States to cheer on their nations, the report also warns that immigrant communities could face dangers while moving throughout the country. Dallas, Houston and Miami have additionally signed agreements for local law enforcement to collaborate with ICE.

Furthermore, supporters from the Ivory Coast, Haiti, Senegal and Iran hoping to attend matches will be barred from travelling to the States unless they held valid VISAs prior to January this year, owing to Trump’s recent travel bans. As reported by the I, Steve Cockburn – Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International – warned: “Despite the astounding numbers of arrests and deportations, neither FIFA nor the US authorities have provided any guarantees that fans and local communities will be safe from ethnic and racial profiling, indiscriminate raids, or unlawful detention and deportation.”

He added: “The record-breaking surge of unlawful arrests and deportations has only been possible because of the erosion of due process safeguards, undermining the rights to liberty and security of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees. These policies have torn communities apart and created a climate of fear throughout the USA. It’s a deeply troubling time in the US, which will certainly extend to fans who want to take part in World Cup celebrations.”

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In Mexico, meanwhile, more than 100,000 security personnel have been deployed owing to soaring levels of violence across the country. Separately, authorities in Toronto, Canada, shut down a winter shelter for the homeless earlier this month, after the venue had been pre-booked for FIFA’s use.

This follows the death of a supporter at the Estadio Banorte on Saturday, after falling from a box seat ahead of Mexico’s friendly match against Portugal. The stadium, which is set to host a World Cup opening ceremony on June 11, had recently reopened following an extensive programme of renovations.

Yet the return to action was marred by tragedy. An official statement posted on social media read: “Mexico City Public Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalía CDMX) deeply regrets the death of a person on Saturday, 28 March inside the Banorte Stadium, prior to the start of the Mexican national team’s friendly match.

“From the outset, officials from the Attorney General’s Office, forensic experts and officers from the Investigative Police attended the scene to commence the necessary investigations. The area was cordoned off, the scene was secured, and evidence was collected by experts specialising in criminalistics, photography and forensic medicine.

“Furthermore, analysis of CCTV footage from the stadium and its entrances is underway, as is the collection of statements from people who were at the scene, with the aim of accurately reconstructing the sequence of events and determining potential liability.

“Similarly, the statutory post-mortem procedure is currently underway to establish with certainty the cause of death, as well as the physical condition of the individual at the time of the fall. The Mexico City Public Prosecutor’s Office will continue its investigations thoroughly and will keep the public informed as relevant developments arise, in strict accordance with the principles of due process.”