On the same day that the ball rolls and the 2026 FIFA World Cup opens in three nations, fear and uncertainty grip immigrant communities within the <a href="/topic/United-States">United States</a>. The organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Sport & Rights Alliance coalition launched a desperate call for help to the corporate partners and sponsors of the tournament to demand a “truce with ICE”, stopping immigration raids and detentions while the soccer festival lasts.

The great sporting event, shared by the United States, Mexico and Canada, begins under the shadow of what activists describe as a brutal immigration repression promoted by the administration of President Donald Trump. Against this backdrop, civil rights defenders implore that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) refrain from carrying out control operations at official venues and events, stadiums, training centers, fan areas and other spaces linked to the tournament.

According to HRW, various human rights organizations, unions and fan associations sent letters to 19 FIFA sponsor companies asking them to use their corporate influence and request protection guarantees for workers, volunteers and tournament attendees.

Sponsors avoid supporting the proposal

According to the organization, six companies responded to the request: Adidas, Coca-Cola, Lenovo, McDonald's, Unilever and Visa. Although all indicated that they maintain regular conversations with FIFA on issues related to human rights, none expressed explicit support for the proposal for a migration truce.

Coca-Cola highlighted its participation in work meetings related to human rights evaluations and due diligence processes for the World Cup. McDonald's, for its part, stated that it hopes the competition will be a safe, inclusive and respectful experience for fans, workers and host communities.

Other companies associated with the tournament, including AB InBev, Aramco, Bank of America, DoorDash, Hyundai, Qatar Airways, Verizon and Hisense, did not respond to requests made by the organizations.

Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, said that sponsoring companies invest billions of dollars to link their brands to one of the most important sporting events on the planet and not to policies that, according to the organization, generate fear among immigrant communities.

They question FIFA's response

The organizations also criticized FIFA for considering the actions taken to address the possible effects of migration policies during the competition to be insufficient. HRW noted that none of the action plans prepared by host cities in the United States specifically address the impact that immigration operations could have on fans, workers and residents.

Likewise, he recalled that FIFA granted recognition to President Trump in 2025 for his contribution to promoting peace and unity, a decision that has been questioned by human rights groups.

Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, said sponsors have the ability to influence FIFA to push for concrete protection measures during the tournament. According to the activist, the success of the World Cup will depend not only on the sports organization, but also on the guarantee that millions of fans can attend without fear of being subject to immigration actions.

As preparations continue for the biggest World Cup in history, the debate over the safety and rights of immigrant communities is beginning to take center stage in the conversation surrounding the tournament.

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