2026 North American World Cup under scrutiny for immigration enforcement and poor pitch conditions

Human Rights Watch warned that the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be held in a "climate of fear" due to aggressive immigration enforcement. ICE has detained more than 167,000 people in eleven U.S. cities that will host matches, and the group has called for an "ICE Truce" to keep immigration operations away from stadiums, fan zones and related facilities.

Separate criticism has focused on the quality of the tournament's playing surfaces. British journalist Dougie Critchley, writing on X, described many of the pitches as "absolutely terrible" and warned that sub‑standard fields could increase the risk of injuries for top players. Similar concerns have been voiced by coaches and players from other national teams, highlighting a broader issue with stadium preparations.

Media coverage of the event has also drawn attention. The BBC produced a detailed profile of the Croatian national team ahead of its opening match, but the piece contained notable errors, misspelling players Josip Stanišić and Petar Sučić and omitting diacritics on other names. The analysis praised Croatia’s recent success while pointing out tactical shifts under coach Zlatko Dalić.