With the 2026 World Cup set to begin on June 11 in Mexico, Amnesty International has raised alarms about significant human rights challenges facing millions of fans attending the event. The group cautions that the tournament is straying far from the “safe, free, and inclusive” experience originally promised by FIFA, the global soccer governing body.
As the United States prepares to host three-quarters of the matches, Amnesty highlights a “human rights emergency” unfolding there, marked by mass deportations, stringent immigration enforcement, and restrictions on public demonstrations. Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s head of economic and social justice, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the event no longer feels like the inclusive World Cup envisioned eight years ago, nor even as it did 18 months prior. He warned that the troubling conditions in the U.S. will inevitably affect fans participating in World Cup festivities.
The tournament will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Amnesty noted that over 500,000 people were deported from the U.S. last year—more than six times the capacity of MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which is set to host the final match. The organization condemned mass arrests and deportations carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other agencies, which have fractured communities and could disrupt World Cup celebrations.
Amnesty urged FIFA to leverage its influence with the Trump administration to obtain public assurances that immigration enforcement will not occur near stadiums, fan zones, watch parties, or other World Cup-related venues. Cockburn called for guarantees that ICE agents would be absent from these areas to ensure fans can attend without fear of arbitrary arrest or deportation. He also demanded that planned protests be permitted and supported. Additionally, Amnesty called for the removal of bans preventing fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast, Haiti, and Iran from entering the U.S., and for protective measures to safeguard LGBTQ+ attendees.
In Mexico, where authorities have announced the deployment of approximately 100,000 security personnel, including 20,000 troops, Amnesty warned that such heavy militarization risks human rights abuses and the suppression of protests. Cockburn pointed to Mexico’s troubling history of military-related violations, including enforced disappearances and torture. He also noted that local residents have protested against gentrification, housing displacement, and water shortages linked to World Cup preparations.
On the tournament’s opening day in Mexico City, women’s groups plan to march demanding justice for relatives who have disappeared. Amnesty called on FIFA, Mexican security forces, and the government to ensure the march can proceed and that the issue receives proper attention.
In Canada, Amnesty expressed concerns that preparations for the World Cup could exacerbate conditions for homeless populations, urging attention to these social impacts as the event approaches.
