But Human Rights Watch worriedly detailed Trump’s potential visa bans on some countries, the possibility of detention, interrogation and denial of entry at the U.S. border, “prohibitively” long visa waiting times, new laws targeting LGBTQ+ people, and the potential for “chilling limits” on free speech and peaceful protest as policies threatening the competition.
“The administration of President Donald Trump has implemented or is planning policies that fundamentally undermine the inclusive spirit of the World Cup and the non-discrimination policies under FIFA’s Statutes,” the organization warned Infantino.
It also noted that in FIFA’s own human rights legislation, the football behemoth pledges to take measures to “to promote the protection of human rights” and “apply effective leverage” where it can to strength the promotion of human rights through football.
In the letter, Human Rights Watch said that Infantino has “both the responsibility and authority to address the repudiation of human rights commitments at the 2026 World Cup” and demanded a response to the following questions.
“What actions is FIFA taking so that the U.S. government will permit players, fans and journalists from around the world to safely attend the 2026 World Cup in the U.S.?” it asked.
“What actions does FIFA plan to take in the event any players, fans or journalists are subject to discrimination, wrongful interrogation or arbitrary arrest while in the U.S.?,” it added.
“What steps is FIFA taking with the U.S. government and the White House Task Force on The FIFA World Cup 2026 chaired by President Trump to advocate for changes in policies to align with international human rights, FIFA’s Statutes, and FIFA’s Human Rights Policy?” it concluded.
FIFA did not provide a response to POLITICO’s request for comment.