Human Rights Watch urges FIFA to push for ‘ICE Truce’ at World Cup

LOS ANGELES – Football’s world governing body FIFA should press the US government to establish an “ICE Truce” for the World Cup, including a public guarantee from the federal authorities to refrain from immigration enforcement operations at games and venues, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report published on April 27.

The 2026 World Cup – the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams – will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been the face of a hard-line immigration crackdown and deportation drive pursued by the administration of President Donald Trump.

Rights groups have condemned the crackdown, saying it has led to violations of free speech and due-process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for minorities. Mr Trump casts his actions as necessary to improve domestic security and curb illegal immigration.

“FIFA needs to act urgently to address the risks of human rights abuses for athletes, fans, and workers,” HRW said. “One concrete thing it should do is work to persuade the Trump administration to establish an ‘ICE Truce’. Gianni Infantino (FIFA president) and his colleagues should use their leverage to demand that the Trump administration do what’s right for the games.

“Roll back discriminatory travel bans, refrain from abusive immigration enforcement operations in and around World Cup venues, protect children’s rights and commit to uphold freedom of assembly and speech.”

The idea is drawn from the Olympic Truce, a tradition dating back to ancient Greece, when warring city states paused hostilities so athletes and spectators could travel safely to the Games.

“The FIFA 2026 World Cup will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to 11 host cities across America,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.

“President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history.”

Concerns intensified last week when advocacy groups issued a travel advisory that visitors travelling to the US for the World Cup may face arbitrary detention or deportation, among other human rights abuses.

Fans, players, journalists and other visitors may face racial profiling, searches of electronic devices, or risk of cruel or inhuman treatment if they end up in immigration detention facilities, according to the advisory.

The warnings followed a March statement from rights group Amnesty International, which said the tournament is drifting far from the “safe, free and inclusive” event promised by FIFA.

In other news, FIFA is planning to add a second yellow-card “amnesty” period for this World Cup, The Athletic reported on April 27.

The FIFA council will discuss new rules which reportedly include an additional yellow-card amnesty to reduce the possibility of players missing matches in the knockout phase due to accumulation.

Players’ yellows were cleared after the quarter-finals at previous World Cups, but the governing body intends to wipe yellow cards after both the group stage and the last eight, if the council approves the plan.

A player earning two bookings has traditionally resulted in a one-match suspension, and with the tournament expanding in 2026, an additional knockout round (the last 32) means one more match for a player to pick up a yellow before they are wiped.

With two amnesty periods, a player will trigger the suspension by getting two bookings over the three group-stage games or across the first three rounds of the knockout stages preceding the semi-finals. REUTERS