ICE agents will not be present at World Cup matches this summer

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Martin Macdonald | Writer

Content writer covering football, formula 1 and movies

United States’ secretary of state Marco Rubio has told the head of Miami’s host committee for the FIFA World Cup that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will not be present at matches in the tournament.

Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration throughout the United States has seen a rise in violence on the streets. Clashes between ICE agents and citizens are commonplace and in January, two US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, were shot and killed.

Norwegian Football Federation president Lisa Klaveness previously raised concerns that ICE agents would interfere with travelling fans during the tournament - a concern shared by many would-be visitors to the USA.

“We want to address to the FIFA leadership how they are working to prevent, for example, ICE actions to different stadiums, to make sure that all fans come to the World Cup and come to the stadium safely,” she said.

“We hope to speak to FIFA leadership to address this issue. The World Cup should be inclusive and safe for everybody, regardless of ethnicity, which country you come from, or your sexual orientation.”

Earlier this year, ICE's acting director, Todd Lyons, said the organisation would play a “key part” in ensuring security during the World Cup.

That doesn't mean they will be present at games, however.

“A lot of people are talking (and saying), ‘Well, ICE will be at the stadium’. I talked to Marco Rubio. ICE is not going to be at the stadium," Rodney Barreto, co-chair of the Miami host committee, told the Athletic.

"This is not going to turn into some ’round them up’ type of thing. That’s not the purpose of this.

“It’ll be a great experience for everybody. I think that we’re lucky that we do have a president who loves sports and has given us the resources to reimburse the cities for their police protection.”

Eleven US host cities were recently awarded $625 million (£460m) by the government to aid security and infrastructure so it's possible the requirement for extra security from ICE is not needed.

Barreto also said the government would help with visa processing for athletes, having barred a number of nations from entering the US this summer.

“I spoke to Marco and, first of all, he’s going to make sure that the passports get processed and people can get here and there is an orderly process so people won’t be held up," he explained.

"It’s going to be a major undertaking by the federal government to do that. We feel very comfortable that we’re going to be in good hands.”

Travelling World Cup fans ‘vulnerable to serious harm’

Some sections of travelling World Cup fans will be "vulnerable to serious harm" in the United States, according to several civil rights organisations.

More than 120 civil society groups and MLS and NWSL-affiliated fan groups have published a travel advisory document to travelling fans of immigrant backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people and racial and ethnic minority groups warning them of the potential treatment they face in the USA, who will host the World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada this summer.

The message issues a stark warning to everyone from fans, to players, to the media: "exercise caution and have an emergency contingency plan." This call to action stems from the group’s concerns regarding an escalation of violence and authoritarianism under the Donald Trump administration.

There has been violence on the streets of the country after the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers under Trump. Since the beginning of 2025, 48 people have died while in ICE custody

The advisory publication has highlighted six factors of concern:

- The arbitrary denial of entry and risk of detention and/or deportation

- Expanded limitations on travel and entry into the U.S.

- Invasive social media screening and searches of electronic devices

- “Violent and unconstitutional” immigration enforcement, including racial profiling and other discrimination

- “Suppression” of speech and protest

-Serious risk of mistreatment while being held in immigration detention facilities

“FIFA has been paying lip service to human rights while cozying up with the Trump administration, putting millions of people at risk of being harmed and their basic rights violated,” said Jamil Dakwar, human rights program director of the American Civil Liberties Union.

“The Trump administration’s abusive actions continue to threaten our communities, tourists, and fans alike — and it’s past time that FIFA uses its leverage to push for meaningful policy changes and binding assurances that will make people feel safe to travel and enjoy the games.”