LONDON — Amnesty International has issued a stark warning that the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, may transform into a platform for human rights violations. In a comprehensive report titled “Humanity Must Win” released Monday, the prominent human rights organization highlighted critical concerns regarding participant safety and civil liberties.
The report presents a disturbing contrast between FIFA’s promised tournament environment—where all participants “feel safe, included and free to exercise their rights”—and what Amnesty characterizes as deteriorating human rights conditions across host nations. Particular focus falls on the United States, which will host approximately 75% of the tournament’s 104 matches.
Amnesty’s assessment describes the U.S. as experiencing a “human rights emergency,” citing mass deportations, arbitrary detentions, and aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations conducted with “paramilitary-style” tactics. These concerns intensified following ICE’s confirmation that the agency will serve as “a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup,” despite recent controversies including the fatal shooting of two American citizens during Minneapolis protests against ICE raids in January.
The report further notes that no host city has established concrete plans to protect visitors or local communities from potential ICE operations. This security environment has already prompted travel concerns, with fans from four participating nations—Ivory Coast, Haiti, Iran, and Senegal—facing U.S. travel restrictions. Additionally, LGBTQ+ supporter groups from England and continental Europe have announced boycotts over safety concerns, particularly for transgender attendees.
FIFA maintains that the 48-team tournament—the largest in World Cup history—will proceed as scheduled despite geopolitical uncertainties surrounding Iran’s participation. The organization faces criticism for its December 2025 decision to award a “Peace Prize” to President Trump while potentially generating $11 billion from the tournament cycle.
“While FIFA generates record revenues from the 2026 World Cup, fans, communities, players, journalists and workers cannot be made to pay the price,” asserted Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s head of economic and social justice. “It is these people—not governments, sponsors or FIFA—to whom football belongs, and their rights must be at the centre of the tournament.”
The month-long tournament commences June 11 at Mexico City Stadium, concluding with the final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19.