WASHINGTON, DC – The White House committee organizing the 2026 World Cup in the United States says it will be a “moment of global unity.”
“We want to be as welcoming as possible,” Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup Task Force, told reporters Wednesday.
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But US President Donald Trump’s escalating anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies have raised concerns about Washington’s promise to hold a welcoming convention.
Giuliani spoke about the U.S. State Department’s efforts to reduce wait times for visitor visa interviews so that fans from around the world can come to the United States during the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Mexico and Canada.
Despite Giuliani’s assurances, he also confirmed that there will be no special World Cup exemptions for fans from the 19 countries subject to the U.S. travel ban. He also did not rule out the possibility of excluding illegal immigrants before or after the match.
Daniel Norona, Amnesty International USA’s advocacy director for the Americas, condemned the US government’s approach.
“We cannot unite if we promote discrimination, promote oppression, and silence people who have different opinions,” Norona told Al Jazeera.
“So I don’t think you can call this a moment of unity if they’re doing the opposite of what unity means.”
travel ban
Two of the countries subject to the travel ban will participate in the tournament: Haiti and Iran.
Asked repeatedly about travel restrictions, Giuliani reiterated that visas would be issued to players and direct support staff from banned countries, but not to fans. “Visas are a national security issue and are important to every single person out there,” he said.
But the United States has already denied visas to some members of the Iranian delegation who will attend Friday’s World Cup group stage draw.
Giuliani also denied the impact of the travel ban on Haitian fans, noting that national team coach Sebastian Migne recently said he had never been to the Caribbean country, which is plagued by gang violence, humanitarian crises and natural disasters.
President Trump’s ban also applies to Haitians living outside of Haiti. And Norona emphasized that the crackdown could affect Haitians in the United States who want to support the Haitian team as the Trump administration continues to roll back immigration protections.
Norona said Trump’s policies are the “antithesis” of the World Cup, which is synonymous with being open and welcoming people from all over the world.
“We are concerned that this will create an unwelcoming and generally hostile environment for fans, players and everyone involved in the World Cup,” Norona told Al Jazeera.
Giuliani did not rule out Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting illegal immigrants at World Cup venues.
Approximately 14 million undocumented people live in the United States, many from soccer-loving Latino communities who have lived here for years and are building new lives and families.
“I’ve known the president for 25 years,” said Giuliani, the son of Trump’s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. “The president has not ruled out anything to keep the American people safe.”
Norona said immigration raids don’t make everyone safe.
“They just chill the rest of the fans and people in the football community who want to go to the games,” he said.
Trump’s “unique style”
Illegal immigrants are not the only targets of President Trump’s crackdown.
Over the past few months, the administration has pushed for the deportation of people legally in the country, including visitors, international students, and permanent residents, citing criticism of Israel.
In addition to targeting dozens of students participating in solidarity protests in Gaza, ICE agents arrested British commentator Sami Hamdi in October for defending Palestinian human rights and held him for two weeks before expelling him from the country.
“The chilling effect here is not just on illegal aliens residing in the United States. The chilling effect is on anyone who might express dissatisfaction or disagreement with the current administration,” Norona said.
Giuliani stressed that it is a “fictional story” that President Trump does not want foreigners to enter the United States.
“What he’s talking about is he wants to make sure people can come into the United States legally, so we can make sure that gaming (and) other experiences are safe and secure,” he told reporters.
But on Tuesday, President Trump launched an anti-immigrant attack, calling Somalis living in the United States “trash.”
Al Jazeera asked Giuliani about President Trump’s rhetoric and how it could clash with the message of unity that U.S. officials are emphasizing around the World Cup.
“The president has a unique style, and to be honest, I think that’s why he’s a very effective leader, and I think that’s why he’s the perfect host for this great World Cup, which is actually the biggest in human history,” Giuliani said.
He went on to suggest that President Trump’s bigoted approach is a form of integrity.
“In terms of presidential rhetoric, he’s unique in that regard. He’s a New Yorker like me, and sometimes we say things that are a little different than sophisticated politicians,” Giuliani said.
“But I think that’s also why he was actually able to win the hearts of so many Americans, because he was completely honest with them.”
But Norona said Trump’s comments sent a “discriminatory” and “racist” message.
“I don’t think it’s a style. It was a deliberate choice of words,” he added. “That’s reprehensible to everyone.”
FIFA Pace Award
Mr. Trump has shown sufficient interest in the World Cup and soccer in general. He attended the Club World Cup final in New Jersey in July and regularly welcomes FIFA president Gianni Infantino to the White House.
Last month, he welcomed Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo to a state dinner in Washington, D.C., during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The U.S. president will also attend Friday’s tournament draw where world soccer’s governing body awards the first FIFA Peace Prize.
FIFA faces calls to protect migrants at soccer matches. The organization has also been criticized for its close ties to President Trump.
During the Club World Cup, FIFA did not promote its usual anti-racism messages at the tournament, which appeared to be in line with President Trump’s opposition to diversity and inclusion programs.
FIFA had not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for comment at the time of publication.
“FIFA’s so-called Peace Prize is being awarded against a backdrop of violent detentions of immigrants, the deployment of the National Guard to American cities, and the persistent suspension of FIFA’s own anti-racism and anti-discrimination campaigns,” Minky Worden, sports director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
“There is still time to honor FIFA’s promise of a World Cup untainted by human rights abuses, but the clock is ticking.”
