Sportswashing

White House says Donald Trump will attend World Cup final and present trophy

Donald Trump will attend Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has said that Trump will hand the World Cup trophy to the winners

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Corruption

Trump baselessly claims World Cup referee is 'suspect'

Trump says referee is "a little bit suspect, if you check his past", with no evidence

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Sportswashing

Anger as Harry Kane says he played golf with Donald Trump

England striker Harry Kane has drawn criticism after revealing he played golf with US president Donald Trump, a moment he described as a "surreal experience"

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Corruption

FIFA lifts US striker’s red card suspension after Trump calls Infantino

U.S. President Donald Trump intervened on behalf of star U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, whose red-card suspension was lifted. Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino after the game asking FIFA to review the red card

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Climate chaos

US heatwave threatens World Cup

Weekend’s high temperatures and humidity ‘virtually impossible’ without climate crisis, researchers say

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International

US security chief 'danced happy dance' after Iran exit

US security chief 'danced happy dance' after Iran exit

Markwayne Mullin, the United States' head of homeland security, said he "danced a happy dance" when Iran were eliminated from the World Cup.

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Resistance

'NO ICE IN WORLD CUP' banner appears over I-95 in Riviera Beach

'NO ICE IN WORLD CUP' banner appears over I-95 in Riviera Beach

A banner reading “NO ICE IN WORLD CUP” appeared above I-95 on Saturday, drawing the attention of drivers near the Blue Heron Boulevard exit.

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Corruption

European lawmakers call on FIFA to investigate 'Peace Prize' awarded to Trump by Infantino

In a letter sent Monday to the president and ethics committee of football's governing body, around 50 MEPs request clarification regarding the trophy awarded to the US President in 2025.

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Denied entry

DR Congo's iconic 'Living Statue' fan denied US Visa for World Cup group stage clash

DR Congo's iconic 'Living Statue' fan denied US Visa for World Cup group stage clash

Famous DR Congo fan Michel Kuka Mboladinga, known as 'Lumumba Vea', confirmed he was denied a US visa and missed their World Cup Group K clash against Uzbekistan — his second absence of the tournament.

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Resistance

'F*ck ICE' foam fingers become popular at World Cup fan zones

These 'F*ck ICE' foam fingers are being spotted in World Cup fan zones

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Sportswashing

Trump will be at the World Cup final to present trophy to winners

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he and President Donald Trump would give out the World Cup trophy together

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Resistance

ICE protester removed from outside World Cup match in Atlanta

Georgia State Police removed ICE protestors with a prop representing an ICE officer and a child in chains ahead of the third World Cup match in Atlanta.

Video: Alex D’Antoni

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International

Iran make World Cup statement hours after Donald Trump threatened to blow country up

As the Iran team plays in the US, Trump's threats continue

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International

FIFA chief hits out after World Cup team ordered to leave USA

A senior member of FIFA's council has called out the treatment of Iran at this summer's World Cup. The team’s build-up to the finals has been profoundly impacted by the conflict with the United States and Israel, with the squad forced to move their training camp to Mexico.

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ICE threats

Amid continued detentions, World Cup watch party highlights Congolese community resilience

The two organizations that hosted the event wanted to bring the community together to remind them of their rights and the resources available to them as President Donald Trump’s administration continues heightened immigration enforcement in Maine and throughout the country.

Last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Billy Bassikissa, a Congolese community leader and Cumberland County Jail corrections officer. Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce said Bassikissa had a work permit that didn’t expire until 2030 and no criminal convictions.

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International

England could face backlash over Donald Trump ICE plane decision at World Cup

England travelled to the World Cup on a charter plane previously used by ICE to carry out Donald Trump's controversial immigration crackdown.

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Climate chaos

Infantino using private jet in attempt to watch two World Cup matches per day

Gianni Infantino is planning to attend two World Cup games each day where possible for the rest of the tournament despite the huge distances involved.

The FIFA president has access to a private jet provided by Qatar Airways.

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Borders and detention

Iran claim they were forced to leave US minutes after World Cup opener

Iran have claimed they were forced out of the United States just minutes after their match against New Zealand concluded, with coach Amir Ghalenoei saying his team are the “most oppressed” at the World Cup.

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Resistance

‘We don’t need ICE’: Arlington’s first FIFA World Cup game draws few protestors

As thousands of fans poured into the stadium for Arlington’s first FIFA World Cup game Sunday, Rick Majumdar stood on a corner outside the venue, speaking into a microphone: “ICE out of the World Cup.”

Majumdar, 33, was one of about a dozen demonstrators outside AT&T Stadium — renamed Dallas Stadium during the World Cup — as part of a protest organized by the Dallas chapter of National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, or NAARPR.

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Resistance

‘ICE Out’ protest art in Philly ramps up amid World Cup spotlight

‘ICE Out’ protest art in Philly ramps up amid World Cup spotlight

Anti-ICE protest art in the city embraces Philly’s long tradition of blending art, activism and community-building.

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Racism and discrimination

World Cup referee accused of making ‘white power’ gesture during TV coverage

A World Cup referee has been accused of making a ‘white power’ gesture during TV coverage of Germany’s 7-1 win over Curacao on Sunday.

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Denied entry

Uruguay delayed by plane paperwork as World Cup travel challenges continue

The delays were caused by the paperwork required to begin the flight not being ready by the scheduled time of take-off. Asked if Fifa was ultimately responsible for the delays, an AUF spokesperson agreed.

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Resistance

ICE presence at World Cup gets cold reception from Seattle protesters

ICE presence at World Cup gets cold reception from Seattle protesters

50 people went Judkins Park Sunday for a rally of singing and speeches against the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the region.

Attendees listened to a cappella protest songs and speeches; one person waved an oversized flag that read: “ICE OUT NOW.”

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Denied entry

Iran win four staff visa appeals but 11 banned

Four members of Iran's World Cup delegation have won appeals against having their visa applications for entry to the United States rejected. But 11 members of the party will not be allowed to travel to the US when their team plays matches there.

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Resistance

Anti-ICE protests planned around MetLife Stadium during World Cup matches

The Close the Camps NJ coalition announced Friday that it will use the attention focused on global soccer’s quadrennial tournament to highlight the plight of detainees held in New Jersey, mostly at the privately owned and operated Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in Newark.

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Resistance

SoFi Stadium workers given ‘Kick ICE Out’ buttons by union ahead of USMNT-Paraguay

SoFi Stadium workers given ‘Kick ICE Out’ buttons by union ahead of USMNT-Paraguay

Union shop stewards inside SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles are handing out buttons which read ‘Kick ICE Out’ for workers to wear at the venue hosting FIFA’s World Cup match between the United States and Paraguay on Friday night.

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Denied entry

Palestinian football chief says US denied him visa to attend World Cup

The head of the Palestinian Football Association has said he is unable to travel to the US with other federation heads attending the World Cup because he has not been issued a visa

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Denied entry

Visa rejection dashes World Cup hopes of Ivory Coast and Senegal fans

Ivory Coast and Senegal home-based fans have been denied visas to the United States, dashing their hopes of following their teams at the World Cup

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Denied entry

Third of fan visas from non-European countries are being rejected

A third of World Cup fan visas from non-European countries are being rejected with Iran and Senegal hit the hardest, research has found

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Denied entry

Scotland fan has US visa revoked an hour before flying to World Cup

A Scotland football fan has told how he found out an hour before flying to the World Cup finals in the US that his travel permit had been revoked

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Borders and detention

Gianni Infantino tells football fans to ‘chill’ in response to Fifa’s critics

Gianni Infantino told football fans to “chill and relax” on the eve of the World Cup, while Fifa faced criticism from the United Nations over the immigration issues that have overshadowed the buildup to the tournament

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International

Iran says entire ticket allocation for World Cup withdrawn days before tournament

Iran's ​football federation says that its ⁠ticket allocation for the World Cup has been pulled, leaving supporters ​who ⁠have already ‌made travel plans unable to ‌attend

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Denied entry

Somali referee Omar Artan barred from entering US

Omar Artan, who was set to be the first Somali to referee at the World Cup finals, has been dropped from the list of officials after he was denied entry to the United States

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Borders and detention

Iraqi football player questioned for 7 hours after arriving in US

Iraqi football player Aymen Hussein was questioned for seven hours after arriving in Chicago ahead of the World Cup

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Denied entry

Iranian and African journalists denied necessary World Cup visas

The International Sports Press Association says that many Iranian and African journalists have been denied the necessary visas to cover the World Cup in the United States

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Climate chaos

The dark side of the 2026 World Cup: Record-breaking emissions and thousands of flights

A report warns that the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico could produce twice the emissions of previous editions.

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Denied entry

Scotland fans 'heartbroken' as travel permits to World Cup withdrawn last minute

Scotland football fans say they are devastated as last-minute changes to travel permits could prevent them from travelling to the World Cup

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Resistance

US immigrant rights groups mobilise across World Cup host cities amid ICE fears

Migrants' rights advocates in the 11 US World Cup host cities are mobilising to protect fans and residents this summer

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International

Iran World Cup team not yet issued US visas

As the US continues to attack Iran, the Iranian team is due to play in Group G

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ICE threats

Minorities at World Cup fear ICE threat and how US immigration is enforced

Fear of ICE threat still concerns fans, including Haitians in Massachusetts

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Denied entry

African fans face World Cup issues despite visa bond U-turn

The US had been demanding up to $15,000 in visa bonds. Now some fans are exempt, but only if they got tickets a long time in advance

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ICE threats

ICE may be at World Cup matches in US

ICE may be at World Cup matches when the international tournament gets underway, according to Department of Homeland Security officials

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Denied entry

How America's visa wall is keeping Ghanaian fans out of the 2026 World Cup

A group of 147 Ghanaians hoping to travel to the United States to support the Ghana national football team at the World Cup were denied visas by the US Embassy

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Denied entry

US Embassy in Dakar denies visas to Senegalese FA officials

The United States embassy in Dakar has refused entry visas to six members of the Senegalese Football Federation, blocking their travel for organisational duties linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup

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