ACLU, Amnesty lead 120 rights teams issuing US World Cup ‘travel advisory’ | World Cup 2026 Information

Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Amnesty International, together with greater than 120 civil society teams, have issued a “travel advisory” for foreigners attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup within the United States.

The warning launched on Thursday factors to the “deteriorating human rights situation in the United States and in the absence of meaningful action and concrete guarantees from FIFA, host cities, or the US government”.

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It comes as some worldwide organisations and followers have raised issues about how this yr’s World Cup, which begins in June and can host video games throughout Mexico, Canada and the United States, will work together with the administration of US President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration insurance policies.

Between 5 and 10 million guests are anticipated to journey to the US for the occasion.

“FIFA has been paying lip service to human rights while cosying up with the Trump administration, putting millions of people at risk of being harmed and their basic rights violated,” Jamil Dakwar, ACLU human rights programme director, stated in a press release upon Thursday’s launch.

“The Trump administration’s abusive actions continue to threaten our communities, tourists, and fans alike – and it’s past time that FIFA use its leverage to push for meaningful policy changes and binding assurances that will make people feel safe to travel and enjoy the games,” he stated.

Jennifer Li, who leads Dignity 2026, a nationwide coalition working with grassroots teams in host cities, stated with the World Cup shortly approaching, “We are still waiting for public commitments from FIFA and host city organisers about plans to protect residents, workers, and visitors.”

“The silence has been deafening,” Li stated.

In a press release to Al Jazeera, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle stated the 2026 World Cup “will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to eleven host cities across America”.

“President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but … also the safest and most secure in history – and no amount of ridiculous scare tactics driven by liberal activist groups and the left-wing media will change that,” he stated.

‘Have an emergency contingency plan’

The advisory pointed to 6 areas of danger for these attending the World Cup, calling on “fans, players, journalists, and other visitors to exercise caution and have an emergency contingency plan when travelling to and within the United States”.

It warned of “arbitrary denial of entry and risk of arrest, detention or deportation of non-US nationals” at ports of entry, pointing to US Customs and Border Protection brokers’ “broad discretion to admit, detain, or deny entry”, in addition to “invasive social media screening”.

It additionally warned of “expanded restrictions and limitations on travel and entry into the United States”.

At least 39 international locations are at the moment topic to wide-ranging US journey bans, which provide solely slim exceptions. Two groups competing within the World Cup, Iran and Haiti, are topic to bans on all immigrant and non-immigrant visas, in response to the American Immigration Council, whereas two others, Ivory Coast and Senegal, are topic to partial bans.

Five qualifying international locations –  Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia – are additionally topic to Trump’s “Visa Bond Program”, which requires residents of fifty international locations to submit a $15,000 bond earlier than travelling to the US.

Trump, in the meantime, has prompt that Iran’s group is probably not secure if it competes within the US, though he maintained the gamers remained “welcome” amid the US-Israeli struggle with Iran.

On Thursday, the Financial Times reported {that a} US envoy had requested FIFA to switch Iran with Italy. FIFA has not confirmed the request, however had beforehand maintained the Iranian group had the fitting to take part.

‘Violent and unconstitutional immigration enforcement’

Several of the civil society teams’ warnings involved immigration enforcement after guests entered the US.

While the position of immigration enforcement brokers on the World Cup has not been made clear, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons stated in February that the company would play a “key part” in safety.

In a submit on X on Wednesday, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, Markwayne Mullin, stated the division might be “working alongside the task force and @FIFAcom to ensure all US-based matches are safe and secure”.

The civil society teams warned of “violent and unconstitutional immigration enforcement, including racial profiling and other discrimination by law enforcement”.

They pointed to the Trump administration’s enforcement surges in cities throughout the nation since he took workplace in January 2025, which rights teams and native regulation enforcement have alleged concerned “dragnet” techniques based mostly on people’ perceived races.

Since Trump took workplace, immigration brokers have been concerned in dozens of shootings, together with the killings of protesters Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January.

The teams additionally warned of “suppression of speech and protest and increased surveillance”, pointing to situations the place non-citizens, together with everlasting residents, have been focused for expressing “political opinions that diverge from those of the current administration”.

They particularly cited situations of people being focused for “activism in support of Palestinian rights”, a bunch that has included a number of high-profile pupil advocates.

The closing level cautioned over circumstances in US immigration detention amenities, warning of “serious risk of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and in some cases, death”. Several studies have recorded 32 deaths in ICE custody in 2025, the deadliest yr in additional than 20 years.

At least 14 folks have died in ICE custody in 2026, in response to a number of studies.

Rights teams suggest precautions

The civil society teams advisable an array of precautions for these attending the World Cup.

They included securing digital gadgets, downloading an app that may instantly notify emergency contacts of detention and brushing up on so-called “know your rights” sources.

In a press release, Daniel Norona, America advocacy director with Amnesty International USA, heaped strain on FIFA to make sure international guests weren’t swept up within the Trump administration’s insurance policies.

That got here after The Athletic sports activities information web site in April reported that FIFA President Gianni Infantino was contemplating a direct attraction to Trump to droop immigration enforcement surrounding the occasion. FIFA didn’t instantly reply to Al Jazeera’s request for remark following Thursday’s launch.

“If the US government and host cities cannot guarantee the rights and safety of all, this tournament risks falling far short of FIFA’s promise of a safe, welcoming, and inclusive event, for travelling fans, journalists, players, and people already living in the US alike,” Norona stated.