2026 FIFA World Cup draws criticism over human‑rights abuses and visa denials

Amnesty International warned that the human‑rights situation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup host nations – the United States, Mexico and Canada – has deteriorated. It cited the use of ICE agents to conduct raids and the prospect of invasive social‑media checks on fans, as well as concerns about violence against queer people and restrictions on protests.

The fan alliance "Unsere Kurve" condemned the tournament as a "Paradebeispiel für Ausgrenzung und kommerzielle Vereinnahmung", criticizing entry bans, high ticket prices, long travel distances and the use of the event for geopolitical propaganda. The alliance also highlighted that a Somali referee, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, was denied a U.S. visa, prompting FIFA to state it has no control over host‑country entry decisions.