The White House has issued an official statement after reports that senior FIFA officials have urged the organisation’s president, Gianni Infantino, to make a request to Donald Trump regarding US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agents’ presence at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Preparations for this summer’s World Cup are well underway, with all 48 participants now confirmed.
The tournament will take place across 16 cities in three countries — the US, Mexico and Canada — with the US set to host 78 of the 104 matches.
Ahead of the showpiece event, many have voiced concerns about safety in relation to the current political climate under Trump’s presidency.
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Following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East after a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, there have been suggestions that the nation may pull out of the tournament despite already qualifying.
Iran’s Football Federation (FFIRI) has already requested that FIFA move its matches to Mexico, with its group fixtures against Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand all currently scheduled to take place in the US.
However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has confirmed that FIFA has turned down the request.
Infantino asked to make personal request to Trump
Meanwhile, further concerns have been raised about ICE’s presence at the tournament.
The federal law enforcement agency’s role is to enforce immigration laws across the US, with agents having the power to detain undocumented migrants.
Since Trump took office for the second time at the start of 2025, agents have made thousands of arrests. Earlier in 2026, two US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, were killed by agents in Minneapolis, causing widespread outrage.
Despite the backlash, acting head of ICE Toddy Lyons has insisted that “ICE is dedicated to ensuring that everyone who visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event”.
On Tuesday (April 14), The Athletic reported that senior FIFA management had asked Infantino to make a direct request to Trump for a full moratorium (temporary suspension) of ICE raids across the nation during the tournament.
The Athletic has been informed that FIFA’s management were keen on the idea and were seeking Infantino to personally contact Trump regarding the request.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle issued the following statement when questioned on the matter: “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, right here in the United States of America. This event will generate billions of dollars of economic impact and bring hundreds of thousands of jobs to our country. The president is focused on making this the greatest World Cup ever while ensuring it is the safest and most secure in history.”
The World Cup gets underway in Mexico City, with Mexico facing South Africa on June 11.
Topics: Donald Trump, Gianni Infantino, Football
Luke Davies