FIFA World Cup carries “serious risks” says human rights group

Dubai: A report published by the human rights organisation Amnesty International warns that the 2026 FIFA World Cup carries “serious risks and consequences for fans, players, journalists, workers, and local communities.”

Amesty voiced their concerns on the tournament which is hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico highlighting "troubling attacks on human rights,” within a 36-page report titled 'Humanity Must Win: Defending rights, tackling repression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.’

The report aims the majority of its concerns on the US which is to host to 78 of the 104 games which will be played at this summer’s competition.

Amnesty states that the most serious danger facing World Cup visitors could be the US’ system of harsh, discriminatory, and potentially lethal immigration enforcement and large-scale detention.

It also cautions that “severe restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful protest” could undermine the “safe, welcoming and inclusive” tournament that FIFA has pledged to deliver.

The human rights campaign group urges the governments of the host nations to “fulfil their duties under international human rights law,” while stressing that FIFA, national football associations, and sponsors each have clear obligations to respect human rights.

Earlier this year, two American citizens were fatally shot by US’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Over the past year, Trump has deployed federal officers and the National Guard to major US cities in an effort to fulfil his campaign pledge to curb illegal immigration. These actions have sparked protests and legal challenges in Democratic-led cities such as Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

"The US government has deported more than 500,000 people from the USA in 2025, more than six times as many people than will watch the World Cup final in the MetLife Stadium", said Amnesty's head of economic and social justice Steve Cockburn.

Amnesty says that ICE and other agencies "pose a chilling threat to people living in the US, those traveling to see a game, and players themselves.

"Fans face intrusive surveillance, with proposals to force visitors to make their social media accounts available for vetting, and screening for "anti-Americanism", the report added.

Amnesty’s report adds to a growing wave of negative coverage in the lead-up to the World Cup, which kicks off in June.

In January, the fan organisation Football Supporters Europe (FSE) told BBC Sport it was “deeply worried about the increasing militarisation of police forces in the United States” ahead of the World Cup.

FSE later joined forces with Euroconsumers to file an official complaint against FIFA, accusing it of setting overly high ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup. They claimed that FIFA has "abused its monopoly position" when determining ticket prices for the tournament.

According to the fan group, the lowest-priced final tickets currently available to the public are more than seven times higher than the cheapest tickets for the 2022 World Cup final.