Worldwide fan protests threaten 2026 World Cup as 'cancellations' rise over U.S. safety concerns

The countdown to the 2026 World Cup has taken a troubling turn, with a tidal wave of fans from all corners of the globe allegedly cancelling their attendance amid safety concerns linked to U.S. immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, The Star has discovered.

Reports indicate that over 16,800 tickets have been cancelled thus far, and if the current trend continues, that number is likely to climb. Videos and accounts of confrontations involving the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have proliferated online, fuelling anxiety among prospective international attendees.

The recent ICE incident, which killed a 37-year-old mother of three in Minneapolis earlier this month, has sent shockwaves worldwide.

What began as isolated incidents of cancellations has spiralled into a worldwide protest against travelling to the United States, leading FIFA to initiate emergency discussions this week, including fan safety concerns, declining ticket commitments, and growing reputational risks.

With less than six months remaining until the tournament kicks off in June, excitement has morphed into trepidation, leaving many supporters feeling unsafe in the host nation.

Fans hailing from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas have expressed disappointment and fear over travelling to a country where political climates seem increasingly hostile.

FIFA, which anticipates that between 5.5 and 6.5 million fans will flock to matches across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, now finds its reputation and ticket sales in jeopardy. This year’s tournament was poised to break attendance records, eclipsing the 3.6 million fans logged at the 1994 World Cup, but the unfolding safety measures and social climate are casting a looming shadow over this goal.

Anxiety surrounding safety has been exacerbated by past policies and rhetoric under the Trump administration.

Additionally, The Star can reveal that the Democrats have rallied their supporters abroad, circulating a bold message urging a boycott of U.S. events, stating, “DEAR REST OF THE WORLD. DO WHAT EVER IS NECESSARY. BOYCOTT US. KICK US OUT OF THE OLYMPICS. MOVE THE WORLD CUP THIS YEAR. OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU THINK WILL END THIS.”

The call for international solidarity has been met with mixed reactions, emphasising the depth of concern among fans who no longer view the U.S. as a safe destination for such a culturally significant event.

According to the BBC, a coalition of 23 cross-party MPs in the UK is pressuring FIFA to contemplate the expulsion of the United States from the prestigious World Cup.

This unprecedented call stems from concerns regarding the United States’ recent actions on the global stage, notably the controversial seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a military raid earlier this month in Caracas. Observers note that this incident, coupled with President Donald Trump’s aggressive diplomatic warnings to various nations, has sparked a firestorm of discontent among lawmakers.

The motion, which has garnered support from members across Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and Plaid Cymru, reflects a growing unease about the ethical implications of allowing a nation to participate in international sporting events that, according to the MPs, could serve to "legitimise or normalise violations of international law by powerful states."

Trump received the first FIFA Peace Prize in 2025. According to FIFA, the award is intended to "reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world."

Glenn Tunes, an X user, wrote: "A COUNTRY THAT THREATENS WORLD PEACE ON A DAILY BASIS SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT HOST THE WORLD CUP OR THE OLYMPIC GAMES."

A politician from Britain George Galloway posted: "Only a lunatic would travel to the #USA for the @FIFAWorldCup You’d be lucky if you came out alive. Even if you were white!"

Fearing that ICE agents would consider him a dangerous individual due to his background, Lebanese diplomat Mohamad Safa told Mexico Solidarity Media:.“I canceled my World Cup tickets.”

Safa is executive director of PVA Patriotic Vision — a non-governmental organisation accredited as a consultant to the United Nations.

“ICE can decide I’m a gang member and lock me up in prison for a year without charges, without a hearing, without a trial, without the right to consult a lawyer or make any phone calls. It’s not safe to visit the United States,” Safa said, in relation to the tightening of the Washington’s immigration policies.