This Friday (December 5), the World Cup 2026 draw will take place, and the result could mean a wave of Dutch fans will be heading to the US next summer. But human rights experts have a warning for them.
Watch out for those Tweets you shared back in 2021. In fact, watch out for what’s on your phones in general.
Maybe delete that baby JD Vance pic, for example.
They have a good point
After all, it wouldn’t be the first time the US turned a tourist away at the border for a harmless babyfied picture of a US politician.
As Clayton Weimers of Reporters Without Borders tells AD, “They don’t care if you’re a journalist, an academic, or just a random tourist. I’m not saying you should delete social media… But you do have to be very careful with these things.”
Speaking at a press conference in New York, he also warned that incoming tourists’ entries will depend “very much on the whims of an individual officer.”
This point was backed up by Daniel Noroña of Amnesty International, who tells AD that “You’re at the mercy of a customs officer who might be having a bad day. You never know.”
Human rights organisations are very critical
You’d think that after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA would have learned its lesson.
However, yet again, human rights organisations are very concerned by the choice to use the US as one of the host countries.
A simple glance at the current state of the US will tell us why. However, the organisations are also critical of FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s seemingly close relationship with Trump.
They also don’t understand why the US president is very likely to receive the FIFA Peace Prize, which will be presented during the draw in Washington, DC, on Friday.
People seem surprised that the FIFA 'Peace' Prize could be given to Donald Trump – yet the 2026 World Cup Task Force looks like this.
— Scottish Sport for Palestine (@ScotSport4Pal) December 1, 2025
He is the Chair and his Vice President is Vice Chair.
But sure, sport 'isn't political'. pic.twitter.com/4wnLf3Ecob
Speaking at a press conference, human rights activist Jamal Watkins describes the idea of giving the US president the award as “absolutely laughable.”
“It sends the message that all of this administration’s practices are okay”, he says.
What do you think of this warning? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
