FIFA President Gianni Infantino is considering a direct appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump to implement a moratorium on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids during the 2026 World Cup.
According to reports from The Athletic, FIFA executives have approached Infantino with a plan to request a pause on immigration crackdowns across the United States for the duration of the tournament.
The tournament, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, is scheduled to kick off on June 11.
FIFA officials are seeking to ensure that international visitors do not fear targeted enforcement actions by U.S. authorities while attending matches in eleven host cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, and Atlanta.
Security vs. Enforcement
While the White House declined to discuss specific negotiations with FIFA, a spokesperson praised the tournament's economic potential.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Al Jazeera.
However, the Trump administration has previously signaled that immigration agencies will maintain a presence at the games.
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons told a House committee that the agency remains a "key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup."
When asked if operations would be paused, Lyons declined to commit to a halt in enforcement.
Vice President JD Vance also suggested that visitors must adhere strictly to visa terms.
“We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game,” Vance said during a World Cup task force meeting.
“But when the time is up, they’ll have to go home. Otherwise, they’ll have to talk to Secretary Noem.”
FIFA executives hope to leverage Infantino’s personal relationship with Trump to secure the requested pause.
Infantino and Trump have appeared together at various high-profile events, and Infantino previously awarded the President the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.
Critics have previously filed ethics complaints against FIFA, alleging that the award breached the organization's duty of neutrality.