By Pearl Josephine Nazare
April 27 (Reuters) - FIFA should press the U.S. government to establish an "ICE Truce" for this year's World Cup, including a public guarantee from federal authorities to refrain from immigration enforcement operations at games and venues, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report published on Monday.
The 2026 World Cup - the first edition of the global showpiece tournament to feature 48 teams - will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been the face of a hardline immigration crackdown and deportation drive pursued by the administration of President Donald Trump.
Rights groups have condemned the crackdown, saying it has led to violations of free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for minorities. Trump casts his actions as necessary to improve domestic security and curb illegal immigration.
"FIFA needs to act urgently to address the risks of human rights abuses for athletes, fans, and workers," HRW said. "One concrete thing it should do is work to persuade the Trump administration to establish an 'ICE Truce'...
"Gianni Infantino (FIFA president) and his FIFA colleagues should use their leverage to demand that the Trump administration do what's right for the games," it added.
"Roll back discriminatory travel bans, refrain from abusive immigration enforcement operations in and around World Cup venues, protect children's rights and commit to uphold freedom of assembly and speech."
OLYMPIC TRUCE
The idea is drawn from the "Olympic Truce," a tradition dating back to ancient Greece, when warring city states paused hostilities so athletes and spectators could travel safely to the Games.
"The FIFA 2026 World Cup will no doubt be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, attracting millions of fans from around the world to 11 host cities across America," White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Reuters.
"This will be a monumental event that requires close coordination between the Trump Administration, FIFA, and all of our great federal, state, and local partners.
"President Trump is focused on ensuring that this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also the safest and most secure in history - and no amount of ridiculous scare tactics driven by liberal activist groups and the left-wing media will change that."
Concerns intensified on Thursday when advocacy groups issued a travel advisory warning that visitors travelling to the U.S. for the World Cup may face arbitrary detention or deportation, among other human rights abuses.
Fans, players, journalists and other visitors may face racial profiling, searches of electronic devices, or risk of cruel or inhuman treatment if they end up in immigration detention facilities, according to the advisory.
Thursday's warnings followed a March statement from Amnesty International that the tournament is drifting far from the "safe, free and inclusive" event promised by FIFA.
HRW also said it had written to Infantino requesting details about the nominees, judges, terms of reference and selection process for FIFA's inaugural peace prize.
Trump was awarded the prize in December for what world soccer's global governing body said were his efforts to promote dialogue and de-escalation in trouble hotspots around the world.
"By concocting this award, Infantino risks turning the 2026 FIFA World Cup... into yet another sportswashing event in a world that already has far too many," HRW added.
Reuters has contacted FIFA and ICE for comment.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
