The presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at major soccer matches earlier this year sparked considerable controversy, with many expressing concern that ICE would also be present at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Trump administration has reportedly decided that ICE will not operate inside or around FIFA World Cup stadiums during this summer’s tournament.
The decision comes after Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons previously stated that the agency would play a “key part” in security operations for the event, primarily through its Homeland Security Investigations division.
However, the announcement follows concerns raised by members of Congress and labor unions, who feared that immigration enforcement actions could take place near stadiums or fan zones during the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with matches taking place in more than a dozen cities across North America.
According to Rodney Barreto, co-chair of the Miami host committee, assurances have been given that ICE agents will not be present at stadiums during World Cup matches.
“This is not going to turn into some ‘round them up’ type of thing. That’s not the purpose of this,” Barreto told The Athletic.
Barreto said he recently spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who assured him that the federal government would assist with processing travel documents for visitors arriving for the tournament.
