One year before the 2026 World Cup, US host cities tried to reassure football fans on Monday who are reluctant to go to the United States due to fears about visas, border controls or social violence.
When the United States, Canada and Mexico obtained, in 2017, the organization of the Grand-Messe du Ballon Rond, Donald Trump, in 2017, led the United States and relations between the three neighbors remained cordial.
Today, relations between the United States and its neighbors have been tense. And Donald Trump launched a campaign to expel migrants or so -called “illegal” asylum seekers closed borders to nationals of certain countriesand tightened checks to airports, leaving doubts about the reception of foreign supporters one year from the World Cup (June 11 – July 19, 2026).
“I know we will have visitors, nearly 100 countries. We want them to come, that they take advantage, to attend the matches. But When it is finished, they will have to leave », The vice-president of Trump JD Vance had released in early May.
Of the 16 host cities of the World-2026, eleven are located in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada. On Monday, the presidents and presidents of the eleven American cities committees took stock of the press on logistics – urban transport, access to stadiums, areas dedicated to fans – but also on general access to the United States for the competition.
“Our role as host cities is to make sure to welcome all those who want to come to our cities so that they feel welcome (…) There will be geopolitical issues, which we do not yet know, who will come to affect the tournament next year,” said Meg Kane, president of the Philadelphia organizing committee.
“We (host cities) do not necessarily play a role in terms of (political) decisions but we can say that this government – and as such we follow very closely certain issues – really supports the World Cup,” she added.
Sport geopolitics
The city of New York and the neighboring New Jersey will host several matches from the World Cup, including the final. The president of the local organizing committee, Alex Lasry, expects to see “millions” fans in and outside the stadiums, he told AFP.
“Sport transcends geopolitics. We saw it at the Olympic Games, but also at other Worlds, as in Qatar or Russia. People want to attend these sporting mega-events and they will travel to support their team, “he added.
And to ensure “to welcome all those who will come”, continues the one who was assistant tourism secretary at the Federal Ministry of Commerce under Joe Biden, “we work with the federal government”.
Some visitors from France, Germany, Australia and Canada have recently been repressed at the entrance to the United States or subject to prolonged interrogations. The Trump government has been prohibited since Monday, entry to nationals of twelve countries and imposes restrictions on seven others.
And that’s without counting Los Angeles. The city which must welcome eight matches in the competition, the first meeting of the American selection, is in Cran after three days of sometimes violent clashes between demonstrators opposed to the migration policy of Donald Trump and the police ….
Is Los Angeles afraid that tourists will shift it for the 20126 World Cup? “This is a good question,” answers AFP Jason Krutzsch, of the local organizing committee that works with the city’s tourism committee so that “people understand that they are welcome”. “During the next year, we will work to instill this confidence,” he said.
The stakes are high for the “City of Angels” because after the World Cup, it will host the Super Bowl (2027) then the Summer Olympic Games in 2028.
