Organizations held a press conference near FIFA headquarters in Miami to warn foreign fans about the risks of attending the upcoming tournament in June. They urged visitors to carry official identification and register travel details with their consulates before traveling to the United States.
Yarileiz Zamora, coordinator of the Committee of the Americas for Friends, stated that the group advises visitors and tourists to make a calculated decision regarding their attendance. Thomas Kennedy, a spokesperson for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, emphasized that authorities want to prevent fans from being harassed by immigration officials while trying to watch matches. He noted that the coalition is seeking guarantees against random raids near stadiums.
Darrell Gomez, an organizer with the American Civil Liberties Union, explained that the warning aims to provide a “realistic review” of the risks visitors face, such as racial profiling or detention, especially given Florida’s strict immigration laws. FIFA and the committee tasked with overseeing the World Cup from the White House have declined to comment on these warnings.
In December, Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House committee, stated that the President does not rule out any measures to secure American citizens. He refused to deny the possibility of immigration raids occurring during the tournament. Florida is considered one of the strictest states regarding immigration, where local authorities coordinate with the federal government to carry out mass deportations.
There are additional concerns regarding travel bans on certain countries. While exemptions were granted for players and coaches, fans from nations like Haiti—who qualified for the tournament for the first time in half a century—were not included in these exemptions.
Despite similar warnings issued by rights groups in 2023 regarding Governor Ron DeSantis’s policies, state data indicated that tourism was unaffected, with Florida recording record visitor numbers. DeSantis previously dismissed those warnings as a “joke”. Florida is scheduled to host seven matches of the 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
