EU presses FIFA on World Cup 2026 fan safety as scrutiny grows over US entry and policing

The European Commission’s sports commissioner Glenn Micallef has urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to prioritise the safety of travelling supporters as planning intensifies for the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico.Speaking to Politico, Micallef said: “From my point of view, hosts of big sporting events like the FIFA World Cup and those who are responsible for the organization of the tournament, including FIFA, have a responsibility to ensure that the teams participating and the fans who are attending from those teams are assured of their safety and their security."Following the escalation of tensions that we’ve seen in the last few days, we’ve asked again for renewed assurance for all those traveling to the World Cup.“Especially since one of the hosts of this biggest sporting event in the world is party to a war, it’s only legitimate that assurances are given from a public safety and public security point of view.” The intervention reflects wider unease in Brussels about the practical treatment of visiting fans, including border processes, the conduct of enforcement agencies and access to legal support if supporters are detained or refused entry.A January 14 letter circulated by the European Democratic Party’s leadership and several parliamentarians called for “binding, public and verifiable” safeguards ahead of the tournament, which runs from June 11 until July 19.The letter was addressed to senior EU figures including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and to FIFA and UEFA leadership, and raised what it described as a “growing sense of legal uncertainty” for European citizens travelling to the US.It set out proposed measures for FIFA and the host authorities, including minimum human rights and non-discrimination standards in host protocols, limits on discretionary checks in official event areas, and a 24/7 multilingual contact point for fans with operational links to consular services.The signatories also urged the EU to publish clearer guidance for travellers, establish a dedicated consular task force across host cities and create a real-time monitoring system to track refusals of entry, border incidents and checks during the tournament.In a notable escalation, the letter said European federations and UEFA should consider the possibility of non-participation in the US-hosted phase of the competition if guarantees are not agreed and made public, arguing that federations should not expose fans and delegations to avoidable risks.FIFA has positioned the 2026 event as a major commercial step-change, expanding to 48 teams and 16 host cities, with the US hosting the majority of matches and serving as the primary revenue engine for media rights, sponsorship and hospitality.A FIFA spokesperson said safety and security is the governing body’s “top priority” and it “is confident that the efforts being made by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States will ensure a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for everyone involved.”The fan-safety debate is also intersecting with broader questions around tournament accessibility and inclusivity, with rights groups in recent weeks urging FIFA to ensure that immigration policy and policing do not deter supporters, workers and media from attending.The issue adds another layer to planning for FIFA and local organisers, alongside transport, stadium security perimeters and cross-jurisdiction co-ordination, with public authorities still negotiating responsibility for security and event-day operating costs.