'Climate of Fear' Looms Over 2026 World Cup, Warns Former Socceroos Captain

Players risk visas, travel, and safety if they speak out on human rights, says Craig Foster.

"It's extraordinary that we've seen very few, if any, statements from any of the athletes participating in this tournament, no doubt because they realise the risks that that brings."

A "climate of fear" is gripping the sporting world ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, according to former Socceroos captain and human rights advocate Craig Foster. Speaking during a media briefing held by the Sports & Rights Alliance and Human Rights Watch, Foster warned that players are being silenced by unprecedented risks to their careers and personal safety.

Players fear that speaking out could jeopardize their ability to travel to the US, obtain a visa, and participate in the tournament. Foster noted that very few athletes from the 48 participating teams have made public statements on human rights—a stark contrast to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the Socceroos participated in a video campaign.

"We've seen a very significant chilling effect on the voice of players, and on their right to speak out on various violations, many of which, of course, the US are participating in right now."

Germany's football director Rudi Voeller has already advised squad members to avoid political statements during the World Cup. Foster also highlighted specific barriers to participation, including Iran's team moving its base from Arizona to Mexico after US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Swiss player Breel Embolo was denied an ESTA and could not travel to the US; he has submitted a visa request.

"There would be little question that players would have and teams would have been advised long before now about the very severe risks, the unprecedented risks, actually."

A Shift from Qatar

Foster drew a direct comparison to the 2022 tournament, noting that the current environment in the US is far more intimidating.

"We didn't have a climate in Qatar four years ago, whereby we were thinking that if athletes made a statement during the World Cup, they may well be removed from the country or attacked by the president of that country publicly, and that's certainly the case now."

Broader Safety Concerns

Beyond player speech, Foster raised alarms about the safety of fans and officials. He pointed to concerns over racial profiling by ICE, affecting the families, friends, and colleagues of players.

"This is a tournament where players are not walking in free of risk, fans are not walking in free of risk, and officials are not walking in free of risk, if they can get in at all. And for a sport that has trumpeted its commitment to its own human rights policy for almost a decade now, that's nothing short of disgraceful."

Background

The warnings come amid heightened tensions. Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine previously criticized FIFA for awarding its Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump in 2025. Foster’s statements underscore growing concerns that the 2026 World Cup will be overshadowed by a climate of intimidation, rather than celebrated as a global sporting event.