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Mar 31, 2026

Amnesty International warns of acute human‑rights crisis ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America

AI Summary
Amnesty International issued a scathing report ten weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, warning that the tournament will be staged amid an acute human‑rights emergency in the United States and surrounding host nations, citing immigration crackdowns, ICE deaths, visa bans and broader authoritarian trends that threaten fans, workers and local communities.

Amnesty International has warned that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be staged during an "acute human‑rights crisis" that endangers travelling supporters, local residents and tournament staff across the three host nations.

The rights group released its report on Monday, highlighting the dangers facing millions of fans who will journey to the United States, Canada and Mexico for the six‑week event.

The United States, which will host three‑quarters of the matches (78 of 104 fixtures), is described as undergoing a "human‑rights emergency" marked by a pattern of authoritarian practices. Amnesty points to recent immigration crackdowns, restrictive protest laws and a series of deaths at the hands of U.S. law‑enforcement officials.

According to the report, at least six detainees died in ICE custody in 2026, with a seventh person fatally shot by an off‑duty ICE officer. The agency recorded 32 deaths in ICE custody the previous year, many attributed to health complications but accompanied by allegations of abuse and medical neglect.

Although FIFA classified the tournament as a "medium‑risk" event, Amnesty warns it could become "a stage for repression and a platform for authoritarian practices" if host governments fail to safeguard basic freedoms.

Key concerns raised include:

  • Forced shutdowns of protests, gender bias, indiscriminate raids, ethnic profiling and mass detentions.
  • U.S. visa bans targeting nationals from 12 countries—four of which have qualified for the World Cup—deemed racial discrimination under international law.
  • Mexico’s internal security challenges following a wave of violence triggered by the killing of a major drug‑lord, and planned peaceful demonstrations by women’s groups seeking justice for the country’s 133,500 disappeared persons.
  • Canada’s looming housing crisis that could displace homeless individuals, alongside reported violence and harassment directed at the LGBTQ community.

Amnesty also criticised President Donald Trump, who received FIFA’s newly created Peace Prize in December 2025, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino for praising the award. The report accuses the Trump administration of dismantling international cooperation mechanisms, engaging in aggression in Venezuela, conducting extrajudicial air strikes in Latin America and collaborating with Israel on attacks against Iran.

Despite the criticism, FIFA projects to generate $11 billion in revenue from the World Cup cycle. Amnesty’s head of economic and social justice, Steve Cockburn, stressed that “fans, communities, players, journalists and workers cannot be made to pay the price” and that their rights must be central to the tournament’s planning.

The tournament is set to kick off on June 11 at Mexico City’s stadium, with the final slated for July 19 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.