What's Happening?
Trump’s Racist Immigration Policies are Already Harming the World Cup
The biggest sports event in the world draws crowds for a reason. The World Cup boasts a kind of global unity and celebration practically unrivalled by any other event.
It’s why host countries have an obligation, in the spirit of sportsmanship, to protect players and fans both home and away and ensure they have access to matches as well as respect internationally recognized human rights.
Yet the US has already defied this custom that every country (including itself in 1994) has followed since its inception. Fears over the increasing authoritarianism even prompted Amnesty International to release a report warning of the human rights risks posed by the host countries (the US, Mexico, and Canada).
Fans have openly voiced concerns over the ability to attend or stay safe in the US, citing the administration’s practice of arbitrarily detaining visitors, demonizing non-Western countries, and maltreatment of US minorities. Already there’s been reports of players and staff being subjected to humiliating searches, detained at the borders, even flat out denied visas:
- The Iranian national team faced significant logistical hurdles, including the denial of US visas for 15 staff members, including Federation Head Mehdi Taj, and late visas issuance for players, despite being one of the first teams to qualify.
- Unclear travel mandates regarding when they could enter the US caused confusion for the Iranian team, while their base camp was forced to relocate from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico.
- Several national teams experienced disparate treatment upon arrival; Uzbekistan and Senegal were subjected to intensive searches, and South Africa’s squad delayed their trip trip due to ongoing visa delays.
- Fan access has been restricted through the revocation of tickets for Iranian supporters and visa denials for Moroccan and Haitian fans, with partial restrictions affecting followers from Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. FIFA requires participating federations to receive 8% of match tickets, but Trump’s travel ban blocks many visitors from securing the recommended US visa.
- Players faced entry barriers, including Morocco’s Zakaria el Ouahdi, who was denied a visa twice, as well as Breel Embolo (Switzerland) and Woodensky Pierre (Haiti), who faced extensive processing delays.
- Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was detained for seven hours in Chicago, while team photographer Talal Salah was detained and denied entry entirely.
- The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) expressed concern over unfair visa restrictions after Iranian and African journalists were denied visas.
- Somali referee Omar Artan, recognised as Africa’s best referee for 2025, was denied entry just three days before the tournament began based on unverified US allegations of ties to terrorist groups.
Policy Perspectives
You Can’t Have a World Cup Without the World
What do all these visa problems have in common? The majority of people grappling with these issues come from predominantly non-white countries and it’s the non-Western teams that are facing the most scrutiny. The racism is undeniable.
It’s also, unfortunately, not shocking. The World Cup celebrates the very things Trump and his followers despise: immigrants, minorities, and inclusivity.
Take the United States' comments regarding the Iranian National Team. They aren’t just obscene; they’re deeply racist and reflect a dangerous precedent of dehumanizing non-white minorities and mistreatment based on nationality.
At the end of the day, football has always been political. Claiming politics doesn't belong is disingenuous at best and at worst, it ignores the realities of the players and fans who make the sport what it is as well as its working-class roots and how human rights are deeply intertwined with the beautiful game.
Think back to the 2022 World Cup. Morocco playing in the semi-finals wasn’t just a celebration for Moroccans - it represented something even bigger, lighting up the entire Muslim, Arab, and African world who would cheer for the Atlas Lions with the Palestinian cause at its center.
Who Does Football Belong To?
FIFA has been desperate to wash its hands of any responsibility for the chaos. Following Artan’s entry denial, FIFA claimed it doesn’t get “involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications … a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.”
Yet in 2023, it had no problem stripping Indonesia of the U-20 World Cup for denying Israeli visas. And FIFA was eager to suspend Russia from all football competitions over Ukraine, but somehow balked at doing the same to Israel, despite its ongoing genocide and the kidnapping, murders, and maltreatment of Palestinian footballers.
FIFA’s failure to consistently apply rules and mandates may come off as careless at first, but on a closer look, it seems not all countries are equal in its eyes.
FIFA appears right at home with Trump’s administration
The hypocrisy of this WC compared to Qatar’s laid bare expectations versus reality. The breathtaking Islamophobia on display from Western countries, like the BBC’s ridiculous boycott of Qatar’s opening ceremony, to the racist commentary from competing teams, such as the Norwegian players’ shirts demanding "Human rights - on and off the pitch” solidified the orientalist myth that Qatar did not share Western values. In a way, it was almost expected.
But noticeably, these loud voices are suddenly silent on the US’ mistreatment not only of its own citizens at home, but also abroad. Trump has escalated conflicts in places including Nigeria, Iraq, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, the Caribbean, and Yemen and illegally began striking Iran. And yet, despite the sheer number of clear human rights violations the administration has engaged in or supported, you won’t be seeing Haaland wearing a human rights shirt this summer.
Trump’s bigotry, his administration’s cruel immigration policy, the rise in hate crimes and unchecked racist rhetoric, and escalation of discrimination against minorities is on full display. It’s one thing for global fans to read about it; it’s another when they experience it first-hand. And despite how American fans are genuinely excited to welcome people from abroad, the administration could not care less about America’s image as long as they can continue abusing foreigners, minorities, and immigrants.
Arsenal legend, Ian Wright, summed up what we’re all thinking: “Is this how the hosts behave really for the greatest game, the greatest tournament in the world ....is this the spirit of football, really?”
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