Dr. Katherine L. Lavelle
is a Professor and Department Chair at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Department of Communication Studies. Her research focuses on national identity, gender, and activism in sport, particularly women’s sports. She can be reached at
Email: klavelle@uwlax.edu.
The United States, which co-hosted with Mexico and Canada the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup (FWMC), seemed like an odd location for an international sporting event that would welcome teams from 48 countries given the Trump Administration’s approach to immigration. The U.S. had started a war with Iran in February 2026, 25% of the participating countries are restricted from traveling to the United States, and President Trump has been openly hostile towards Muslim majority and African nations for years.
Additionally, the Trump Administration presented an anti-immigrant front on multiple levels, including several lawsuits in front of the Supreme Court attempting to deport legally protected immigrants and to make it harder for refugees to claim asylum in the United States. There were multiple crackdowns on immigrants which included imprisonment in detention camps in the United States and el Salvador and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) occupation of major cities. ICE officers have killed multiple people during deployments in Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, and Los Angeles. In attempt to increase deportation numbers, enforcement of policies included arresting anyone who looked “foreign”, as opposed to targeting undocumented individuals who had committed crimes. Individuals who were legally living in the United States were arrested and detained by ICE. ICE occupations, arrests, and killings led to clashes with neighborhood patrol groups, and the kidnapping of people at their jobs and homes. After two white U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good were killed in Minneapolis in January 2026, athletes representing the United States at the 2026 Milan/Cortina Olympics distanced themselves from supporting the brutal treatment of immigrants, because these actions did not align with their interpretation of American values.
The attention on these actions towards immigrants is in stark contrast to previous major events where hosts have engaged in sportswashing by distracting from negative actions undertaken by their government. Sportswashing uses hosting of major sporting events to hide disreputable behavior under the banner of being good international citizens. For instance, Russia hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics while having some of the world’s most oppressive anti-LGBT laws (even a plotline on the popular 2025 television series Heated Rivalry). Russia waited until after the 2014 Olympics concluded to invade its neighbor Ukraine. The Qatar 2022 FMWC took place amid massive human rights violations towards migrants in the country. In 2026, instead of positioning itself as a welcoming host, the immigration enforcement and rhetoric of President Trump prior to and during the tournament promoted an environment that was dangerous and unwelcoming towards immigrants and, by extension, tourists participating in and supporting their national team in the World Cup.
This confluence of anti-immigration actions in the United States sent the message that the U.S. was not a safe place to travel for immigrants or most racialized minorities. Instead of presenting a positive view of the United States, these oppressive practices were magnified during the 2026 FMWC because there were frequent stories of negative treatment of participants, particularly those representing African countries and/or Muslim majority nations. A decorated Somali referee was denied entry to the U.S., an Iraqi player was detained in Chicago for several hours when entering the United States, and more than 40 Moroccan supporters were denied entry after they had purchased tickets and made travel arrangements to attend FMWC games. Most notably, the Iranian team was forced to commute from Mexico to Los Angeles for the tournament because of the ongoing U.S.-Iran War. They were the only team who could not stay near their stadium during the group stage.
These examples and more contrast with how nations frequently use major international sporting events as an opportunity to showcase and drive interest in their country through sportswashing. This approach might be unique to President Trump and his authoritarian leadership style, or part of a larger trend by FIFA and other international sports bodies to partner with oppressive regimes, as opposed to more democratic ones. This approach to being oppressive to guests for a major international sporting event raises questions about the humanitarian purpose of these events. While FIFA already wants to expand the number of teams in the 2030 FMWC, does this increase in teams include more protections for participants and fans? If the purpose of international sporting events is to promote international competition, is that possible when participants are treated differently based on their national identity or anti-immigration actions in the host nation?
