The World Is Worried About The World Cup

LeadershipLeadership StrategiesThe World Is Worried About The World CupByMinky Worden,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Human Rights Watch Director of Global InitiativesFollow AuthorJun 09, 2026, 07:00am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.FIFA President Gianni Infantino shows U.S. President Donald Trump the World Cup Trophy in the Oval Office as Vice President JD Vance looks on, August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC.Getty ImagesThe FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11, in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is supposed to be a joyful celebration of global soccer, with, as FIFA President Gianni Infantino claims, “Tens of millions coming to the US from all over the world, just to feel the vibe.” But for many soccer fans, this year’s tournament “vibe” is entirely wrong: marred by the Trump administration’s abusive immigration policies.In recent weeks, 21 US soccer fan groups—with names like the Atlanta Footie Mob, the Galactic Ambassadors from New Mexico, and the Minnesota Bucket Hat Brigade—endorsed a travel advisory warning visitors about risks in the US. The advisory, issued with the American Civil Liberties Union and dozens of other civil society groups, stated that the Trump administration’s “rising authoritarianism and increasing violence pose serious risks to all,” with “immigrant communities, racial and ethnic minority groups, and LGBTQ+ individuals” at particular risk. The Footie Mob and the Bucket Hatters are not alone in their concerns. Diehard European soccer fans say they fear the Trump administration’s aggressively militarized immigration policies. Three Lions Pride, an English soccer fan group, said it would not have a visible presence at games in the US because of “the dangerous rollback of human rights” and have warned their members about the risks of travel. No fan wants to end up in the back seat of an SUV operated...