FIFA contract clause could block ICE at World Cup matches
A little-noticed provision in FIFA’s host-city agreements could limit the role of US federal immigration agents at World Cup matches played outside the United States, adding another layer of complexity to security planning for the 2026 tournament.
According to Canadian reporting, FIFA’s contracts with its Canadian host cities require coordination with domestic police and defence forces only wording that may exclude US agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement from operating at matches north of the border.
The men’s World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will begin on June 11 and feature an expanded 48-team field. While organisers have focused publicly on stadium readiness and transport, political and security arrangements have increasingly drawn scrutiny as the tournament approaches.
Political and logistical pressures
The build-up has coincided with renewed debate over US immigration and enforcement policies. The Trump administration has suspended immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including several nations whose teams have qualified for the tournament, prompting questions about access for fans and officials.
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FIFA has also faced criticism over costs associated with the event. Ticket prices for marquee matches have drawn backlash, with the lowest-priced seat for the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey listed at more than £3,000.
ICE concerns among fans
For some supporters, the possible presence of ICE at World Cup venues has become a focal concern. The agency’s enforcement activities inside the US have been the subject of protests and boycotts in recent years.
Those concerns intensified after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were reported by local media to have been killed by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. The cases renewed public debate over enforcement practices and raised questions about safety at large international events.
As a result, attention has turned to whether ICE could operate beyond US borders during the tournament.
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Pushback in Canada
CTV reported that Vancouver city councillors Pete Fry of the Green Party and Sean Orr of the Coalition of Progressive Electors are preparing a motion opposing any ICE involvement if US national teams play matches in Canada. The motion would call on federal authorities to make clear that US immigration agents would not be authorised to provide security at local World Cup events.
Fry said the proposal followed reports that ICE would be deployed to Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan–Cortina.
“ICE and some of their operations in the United States have caused a lot of political friction, let’s say, and a lot of anxiety and we’ve seen it manifest as protests and boycotts,” Fry told CTV.
“The idea here is to get ahead of that potential and ask the federal government to make it pretty clear that ICE would not be welcome to come to Vancouver to perform security in any capacity.”
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What the FIFA agreements cover
The US Department of Homeland Security has said ICE deployments at major sporting events are intended to “vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations.”
However, the National Observer reported that FIFA’s host-city agreements with Vancouver and a parallel contract with Toronto require cooperation only with Canadian police and military forces. Such agreements are typically negotiated between FIFA, national governments and host municipalities, and they do not automatically extend authority to foreign law enforcement agencies.
The reported wording suggests ICE could be barred from operating at matches in Canada, regardless of US security preferences. FIFA has not publicly commented on how the clauses would be interpreted in practice.
Trump’s remarks
President Donald Trump has continued to publicly defend ICE’s role in domestic security operations. Speaking this week about enforcement activity in Los Angeles, he praised the agency alongside the National Guard.
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“We will do it again if we have to. And, by the way, we’re going to have a very safe Olympics and a very safe World Cup,” Trump said.
He added that federal authorities were considering deployments in additional cities, though he said such moves would depend on cooperation from state leaders.
The World Cup final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Sources: CTV, National Observer
