Immigration groups cite ICE activity at 2026 World Cup matches

Immigration advocates gathered outside FIFA offices in Florida to request that the organization limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity at World Cup events. The request comes ahead of the June 11 to July 19 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Haiti will play its first three group-stage matches on U.S. soil, beginning June 14 against Scotland at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The state is home to 87,000 Haitians according to government figures, one of the largest diaspora populations in the country.

One truck driver in his 40s told AFP he had been advised by his lawyer not to fly to avoid possible encounters with officers at airports. Monica Sarmiento of the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights told AFP that many community members are avoiding certain activities due to recent enforcement actions. She stated that 70 percent of those arrested, detained, and deported have no criminal record.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told AFP that international visitors who enter the United States legally have nothing to worry about. The spokesperson added that enforcement targets individuals who are in the country illegally. More than 120 U.S. civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, issued a travel advisory in April citing possible risks of denial of entry, detention, or deportation for some visitors.

Workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles have stated they will strike if immigration enforcement agents are deployed at the venue. UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents about 2,000 hospitality employees, made the announcement during protests outside the stadium.

FIFA stated it is committed to respecting internationally recognized human rights. Ticket prices have also been cited as a separate barrier, with the cheapest seats for the June 12 United States opener listed at $1,120.