The Sport & Rights Alliance on Wednesday called on the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to take immediate action to safeguard human rights ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. With the tournament set to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the Alliance warned that rising threats to civil liberties, particularly in the US, risk undermining FIFA’s stated human rights commitments.
Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, highlighted that the 2026 host nations had made “clear human rights commitments” in their original bid. “Despite FIFA’s mantra that ‘football unites the world,’ a World Cup held under discriminatory and exclusionary policies risks deepening social divides rather than bridging them,” Florence said. The Sport & Rights Alliance expressed serious concern that policies enacted by the current US administration under President Donald Trump pose immediate and substantial risks to civil society.
The Alliance especially pointed to harsh US policies on immigration. These, they warned, threaten to exclude fans, media, and participants from many countries. Concerns intensified following recent reports that the Trump administration plans to transfer thousands of undocumented migrants to the US Naval facility at Guantánamo Bay. It was revealed that 9,000 migrants are being vetted for transfer, with plans to use the facility, long criticized for extralegal and inhumane conditions, as a holding site before deportation.
Freedom of expression is also under threat. The Alliance cited a growing crackdown on political speech, including the revocation of visas for student activists, and the deployment of National Guard troops in response to immigration protests in Los Angeles. The US government labeled these demonstrations an act of “rebellion”. Such developments echo FIFA’s controversial enforcement of content bans during previous tournaments, such as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Alliance also drew attention to escalating attacks on LGBTI rights in the US, particularly laws targeting gender-affirming care. A recent report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) warns that such legislation is inflicting severe harm on youth and their families, with six states now criminalizing gender-affirming care for minors.
Labor rights are another focal point. The Alliance expressed concern that without enforceable protections, the vast temporary workforce required for the tournament could face exploitation, including wage theft, precarious contracts, and anti-union suppression. In the US, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Luc Triangle warned, “FIFA must demand robust social dialogue and binding agreements to protect every worker contributing to this World Cup.“
Corruption and lack of governmental transparency in the US and Mexico also featured prominently in the Alliance’s statement. The rollback of anti-corruption regulations in both countries poses a risk of misuse of World Cup-related funds. Tor Dølvik, special adviser at Transparency International, emphasized, “All host countries and FIFA must uphold their anti-corruption responsibilities by establishing comprehensive risk management mechanisms that close potential loopholes for corruption.”
The Sport & Rights Alliance concluded by urging FIFA to update its human rights due diligence assessment, obtain concrete commitments from host governments, and establish independent and effective grievance mechanisms for those harmed.
