FIFA, long close to U.S. President Donald Trump (79), is showing signs it may publicly turn its back. As the Trump administration considers deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to stadiums for the 2026 North American World Cup, senior FIFA officials are reportedly discussing asking that enforcement be halted during the tournament.
U.S. media outlet AOL reported on the 21st (Korean time) that the placement of ICE at stadiums emerged as a key issue as the Trump administration briefed Congress on World Cup security plans.
The U.S. government is currently pushing to place ICE agents in stadiums during the World Cup. In February, the head of ICE said, "There will be agents in the stadiums for security reasons." But he did not ultimately explain what roles they would play or whether raids targeting undocumented immigrants or on-site sweeps might take place.
The White House has also remained silent. U.S. media followed up with inquiries, but it did not answer exactly what ICE would do at World Cup stadiums.
The controversy quickly grew. At a Senate hearing, concerns were publicly raised that "immigration enforcement could cause fans to forgo visiting the United States."
Representative Chris Van Hollen said, "I am very worried that the president's remarks and the administration's actions could deter soccer fans from coming to see matches held in the United States."
The U.S. government is sending the opposite message. It says it plans to attract as many foreign fans as possible. The U.S. Commerce Department estimates that up to 10 million fans could attend this World Cup, held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 11 host cities in the United States are expecting a huge economic impact.
Robert O'Leary said, "We are preparing a number of measures to make it easier for people who want to come to the United States to see the World Cup to get visas and enter the country."
The problem is FIFA. According to U.S. media outlet The New York Times, FIFA leadership is considering asking President Trump to halt ICE enforcement entirely during the World Cup.
That would be even more unusual given the relationship between President Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The two have long had a friendly relationship. Infantino gave the president FIFA's first-ever "peace award" a few months ago.
Now FIFA appears ready to publicly put on the brakes. They judge that if immigration enforcement is carried out inside and outside stadiums, the World Cup itself could be chilled.
Preparing for the World Cup has not been smooth. Critics say that with the Department of Homeland Security shutdown lasting more than two months, the development of security plans has been delayed.
Christopher Tomney said at the Senate hearing, "A substantial amount of World Cup-related preparatory work has been delayed due to the funding lapse and furloughs."
He said, "Hundreds of Transportation Security Administration personnel left. That expertise cannot be replaced overnight. Cooperation with State Governments and local governments is also being impeded."
The U.S. government ultimately spent the entire $625 million World Cup security budget (about 92.02 billion won). The 2026 North American World Cup, featuring 48 teams, will be held in June and July in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The World Cup opening is approaching. President Trump is trying to bring ICE into stadiums. FIFA is preparing to demand that the enforcement stop. The friendship that tied Trump and Infantino is also starting to crack.
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