Human rights in the United States

Human rights in the United States, one of the three host nations of the 2026 Men’s World Cup, have seen alarming reversals in recent years. Protections for freedom of expression, minority rights, and LGBTQ rights are under threat and may seriously affect the safety of international visitors to the tournament, and the president of the United States has threatened to move matches away from cities that stand in opposition to his policies.

A number of organisations, including civil rights advocates and US-based football supporters’ clubs, have released a travel advisory to those travelling to the United States for the Men’s World Cup. The advisory warns of risks such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, invasive searches of mobile devices and social media at ports of entry, and violent and discriminatory actions by immigration enforcement officials; it also provides resources for those visiting the US, including constitutional rights, safety around ICE agents, and safety for journalists.

The administration has established partial or full restrictions on entry into the US by nationals of 39 nations, including four that have qualified and are scheduled to play matches in the United States: Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Iran, and Senegal.

MINORITY RIGHTS AND IMMIGRATION POLICY

• Ninety US civil society groups express “deep concern” to FIFA about immigration policies ahead of 2026 World Cup [Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center]
• United States: Repeal the Alien Enemies Act [Human Rights Watch]
• US: ICE abuses in Los Angeles set stage for other cities [Human Rights Watch]
• ‘It’s offensive’: Voices from Iran as fans face 2026 World Cup travel ban [The Guardian]

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

• Humanity must win: Defending rights, tackling repression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup [Amnesty International USA]
• President Trump’s promise to meet protests with ‘very heavy force’ escalates human rights violations under his administration [Amnesty International USA]

LGBTQ RIGHTS

• United States: Trump administration denies people right to play and fails to protect women [Sport and Rights Alliance]
• Nine years on, Pulse shooting reminds us of the deadly mix of hate and guns [Amnesty International USA]

ETHICS AND ANTICORRUPTION

• FairSquare files ethics complaint over FIFA President’s repeated breaches of political neutrality rules [Fairsquare]
• Making the world great again: FIFA’s role in the new authoritarian world order [Fairsquare]
• Infantino’s backing of Trump’s politics is a breach of the neutrality demanded in FIFA statutes, says Maduro [Inside World Football]