U.S. considers social-media screening for 2026 World Cup tourists under Trump plan

December 12, 2025 Oliver Obel

Visitors travelling to the United States for the 2026 World Cup could face expanded digital screening at the border if a proposal linked to President Donald Trump moves forward.

According to reporting from the Daily Mail, the administration is weighing a requirement that foreign travellers provide five years of social-media history before entering the country.

Security debate intensifies as tournament approaches

Interest in the tournament surged after the World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, where Trump participated in the ceremony.

The event highlighted both the enthusiasm surrounding the competition and the logistical pressures facing the three host nations the United States, Mexico and Canada as they prepare for the first 48-team World Cup and potentially millions of visitors.

Previous travel restrictions provide the backdrop

Trump has signaled for months that he intends to tighten U.S. border screening. In June, he reiterated his plan to implement what he called “common sense restrictions” intended to protect Americans from “dangerous foreign actors.”

Those remarks accompanied earlier travel bans affecting citizens of 19 countries, including Haiti and Iran, both of which have qualified for the tournament.

The Daily Mail report suggests the administration is considering going further by requiring digital-history disclosures from all foreign visitors, including those from visa-waiver nations such as the United Kingdom and Germany.

Such a policy would expand upon an existing State Department directive asking travellers to make their social-media accounts accessible to U.S. officials before departure.

Growing scrutiny of online activity

Social-media content has already surfaced in recent immigration disputes. Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported in June that a traveller claimed he was turned away at the U.S. border after officials confronted him over a viral meme mocking Vice President JD Vance.

The Department of Homeland Security denied that explanation at the time, saying the refusal of entry stemmed from the traveller’s admission of past drug use rather than his online activity.

Two months later, immigration agencies were instructed to monitor visa and green-card applicants’ online posts for signs of “anti-Americanism.” U.S. officials have not defined what constitutes such behaviour, raising questions among civil-liberties groups and immigration attorneys about how such reviews would be applied in practice.

Unresolved questions for visitors and officials

If the proposal advances, millions of fans heading to North America for the World Cup could face additional checks, including potential delays at U.S. ports of entry.

Legal scholars note that broad social-media screening requirements often undergo court challenges over privacy protections, data handling, and the potential for inconsistent enforcement.

Sources: Daily Mail, U.S. State Department and Department of Homeland Security.