Camille Naredo

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office while FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R), and Vice President JD Vance (3rd L) look on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images/AFP/File

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 22: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office while FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R), and Vice President JD Vance (3rd L) look on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will take place at The Kennedy Center.   Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

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President Donald Trump Makes Announcement From The Oval Office

Reuters Wires

<p>Millions of fans heading to the 2026 World Cup face significant human rights risks, Amnesty International said, warning that the tournament is drifting far from the &quot;safe, free and inclusive&quot; event originally promised by FIFA.</p><p>With just over 10 weeks until kick-off, the human rights group said the United States, which will host three-quarters of the matches, is experiencing what it described as a &quot;human rights emergency,&quot; driven by mass deportations, aggressive immigration enforcement and restrictions on protests.</p><p>&quot;There are huge risks around this tournament,&quot; Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International&#x27;s head of economic and social justice, told Reuters. </p><p>&quot;This does not feel like the World Cup that was originally promised, the safe, free, and equal World Cup and the inclusive World Cup that was promised eight years ago when it was awarded, but also maybe quite different from how it felt even just 18 months ago.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a deeply troubling time in the U.S., which will certainly extend to fans who want to take part in World Cup celebrations.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/3/3/world-cup-ticket-frenzy-unfolds-amid-global-unrest-2255">READ: World Cup ticket frenzy unfolds amid global unrest</a></div><p>According to Amnesty, more than 500,000 people were deported from the U.S. last year, a figure it said was more than six times the capacity of the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which will host the World Cup final. </p><p>The group said mass arrests and deportations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other agencies had torn communities apart and could spill into World Cup celebrations.</p><p>Amnesty called on FIFA to use what it described as its &quot;enormous leverage&quot; with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to secure public guarantees that immigration enforcement would not take place around stadiums, fan zones, watch parties or other World Cup-related events.</p><p>&quot;We need clear assurances there will be no ICE presence around venues so people can attend without fear of arbitrary arrest or deportation,&quot; Cockburn said. </p><p>He also urged guarantees that planned protests would be allowed and facilitated rather than suppressed by security forces.</p><p>The organization is also asking that travel bans that restrict fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Iran from entering the country be lifted, and that protective measures are in place for LGBTQ+ fans.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/3/17/iran-still-to-play-in-world-cup-says-asian-football-body-0100">READ: Iran still to play in World Cup says Asian football body</a></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RISKS IN MEXICO, CANADA</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774888706735AFP__20250822__2231524159__v1__MidRes__PresidentDonaldTrumpMakesAnnouncementFromTheO.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office while FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R), and Vice President JD Vance (3rd L) look on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images/AFP/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office while FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R), and Vice President JD Vance (3rd L) look on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. <em>Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images/AFP/File</em></span></span></span></strong></div><p>Amnesty said the risks extend beyond the United States. </p><p>In Mexico, where authorities have announced the deployment of around 100,000 security personnel, including 20,000 troops, the group warned that the heavy militarization could lead to abuses and the suppression of protests.</p><p>Mexico has a long history of human rights violations linked to military deployments, including enforced disappearances and torture, Cockburn said. He noted that residents have already protested against gentrification, housing displacement and water shortages linked to World Cup preparations.</p><p>On the opening day of the tournament in Mexico City, women&#x27;s groups plan to march to demand justice for relatives who have disappeared, a protest Amnesty said must be respected.</p><p>&quot;Our appeal certainly would be to FIFA and to security forces and the governments in Mexico is to allow that, is to make that happen, to allow the space and the spotlight to be on that issue,&quot; Cockburn said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/2/26/fifa-boss-very-reassured-about-world-cup-in-mexico-despite-violence-0147">READ: FIFA boss &#x27;very reassured&#x27; about World Cup in Mexico despite violence</a></div><p>In Canada, Amnesty pointed to concerns that preparations for the tournament could worsen conditions for people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver and Toronto. </p><p>The group fears efforts to &quot;beautify&quot; the two Canadian host cities could lead to homeless people being forcibly moved from encampments, echoing what occurred during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.</p><p>The group noted that authorities in Toronto recently closed a winter warming centre used by homeless people after the venue had been booked for FIFA-related activities.</p><p>Amnesty said fans should inform themselves of the risks, their rights and expectations at the border before travelling but stressed it was not urging people to stay away.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re not saying don&#x27;t go. We&#x27;re not saying don&#x27;t enjoy it,&quot; Cockburn said. &quot;I really hope the fans do go and enjoy it. But it&#x27;s been about knowing the reality and making those judgments. </p><p>&quot;The real question is towards FIFA and to the national government. How do they make the environment safe enough and welcoming enough and inclusive enough?&quot;</p><p>The 2026 World Cup, the largest in the tournament&#x27;s history, opens on June 11 in Mexico City.</p><div><strong>(Production: Lori Ewing, Iain Axon, Revathi Hariharan, Bhagya Ayyavoo)</strong></div>

<p>Millions of fans heading to the 2026 World Cup face significant human rights risks, Amnesty International said, warning that the tournament is drifting far from the "safe, free and inclusive" event originally promised by FIFA.</p>

Millions of fans heading to the 2026 World Cup face significant human rights risks, Amnesty International said, warning that the tournament is drifting far from the "safe, free and inclusive" event originally promised by FIFA.

Risk over human rights at World Cup: Amnesty International

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Risk over human rights at World Cup: Amnesty International

Reuters

Published March 31, 2026 01:18 AM PHT

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