Human Rights Watch has reported that the vast majority of host city committees for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have failed to produce the human rights action plans required by the tournament’s governing body.
Of the 16 cities selected to host matches, 12 have not published the mandatory frameworks intended to protect athletes, fans, and workers. The cities lacking public plans include Novel York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Kansas City, Toronto, Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
The absence of these documents comes as the tournament approaches, following a FIFA Human Rights Framework established in June 2024. That framework mandated that all host city committees develop tailored action plans in coordination with local governments and non-governmental stakeholders to address risks facing marginalized populations, including refugees, asylum seekers, and LGBT individuals.
Immigration Enforcement and Deportation Data
A central concern highlighted by Human Rights Watch involves the scale of immigration enforcement in the United States. Data analyzed from the Deportation Data Project reveals that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested at least 167,000 people in and around the 11 U.S. Host cities between January 20, 2025, and March 10, 2026.
The report identifies specific high-risk areas where local law enforcement has entered into 287(g) agreements, which allow local officers to perform the functions of federal immigration agents. In Dallas, ICE has conducted 22,388 arrests since January 2025, while Houston has seen 26,483 arrests during the same period. Both cities’ host committees have published plans that mention “Worker Support Hubs” but omit explicit protections for undocumented fans or laborers.
In Atlanta, where 13,985 arrests were recorded in the metro area since January 2025, the host city plan states that the Atlanta Police Department does not operate under federal enforcement agreements. However, Georgia state law HB 1105 requires the department to conduct immigration status checks for certain misdemeanors, and 287(g) agreements remain active and expanding within the broader region.
Protections for Media and LGBT Groups
The Human Rights Watch analysis found that the available action plans largely ignore the risks faced by journalists and LGBTQ+ persons. In Los Angeles—a city that has not released a human rights plan—the organization documented the use of tear gas, pepper balls, and flash-bang grenades by U.S. Officers against journalists and protesters during immigration raids in June 2025.
While the Atlanta plan commits to two community events in partnership with LGBTQ+ organizations, the plans for Dallas and Houston contain no mention of LGBT protections. This omission follows a 2025 decision by FIFA to cancel planned anti-discrimination and anti-racism messaging at U.S. Club World Cup venues.
Jennifer Li, coordinator of Dignity2026 and director of the Center for Community Health Innovation at Georgetown Law, stated that the failure to publish these plans indicates a lack of investment and experience by both FIFA and the host committees, describing the current lack of implementation timelines as reckless.
Institutional Response and FIFA Oversight
The host city committees operate as nonprofit bodies tasked with managing transportation, fan festivals, and community engagement. Yareliz Mendez-Zamora of the American Friends Service Committee Florida described the failure of the Miami Host City Committee—the site of FIFA’s North American headquarters—to release a plan as a significant failure in its responsibility to protect stakeholders.
Human Rights Watch has requested formal clarification from FIFA regarding these vulnerabilities. A letter sent to FIFA President Gianni Infantino on January 13, 2026, questioned the steps being taken to mitigate ICE activities at World Cup venues. A subsequent request on April 6 focused on the safety and accreditation of journalists covering human rights issues.
FIFA has not provided a written response to either inquiry.
