Sawt Falasteen - Human Rights Watch warns of 'exclusion and fear' at World Cup

The tournament is in danger of becoming "a platform for abusive policies targeting immigrants and visitors, showcasing racism, exclusion, fear, and discrimination", the NGO said in a briefing document for journalists.

HRW warned against what it described as "increasing authoritarianism and backsliding on human rights in the United States".

President Donald Trump's return to power has led to "increased threats to press freedom, the rights of peaceful protesters, and community safety", the organisation said.

The World Cup will take place on June 11-July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 78 out of 104 matches scheduled to take place in the United States.

Maja Liebing, head of the Americas desk at Amnesty International Germany, told a press briefing about the HRW document that "fans, journalists and others travelling to the United States risk encountering detention, deportation or discrimination in the rights landscape shaped by the Trump administration's policies".

The document itself accused world football organising body FIFA of a "weak response" to what it called Trump's "abusive policies".

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, has close ties to Trump, and last year the organisation presented him with a "FIFA Peace Prize".

Concerns among supporters have intensified amid ongoing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations targeting undocumented migrants.

According to HRW, citing US figures, at least 167,000 people were arrested between January 2025 and March this year in and around the 11 cities where the US matches will be played.

During the Club World Cup last year, seen as a warm-up for the main event, an asylum seeker who took his children to the final in New Jersey was detained, separated from them and deported, according to the NGO.

Four countries competing in the finals -- Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast -- may have to play without support from their fans as their citizens are subject to US travel bans.

H.Jarrar--SF-PST