The measure does not rule out immigration raids under Trump’s policies.

On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department activated the “FIFA Pass System,” which grants priority visa appointments to those who already have tickets for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.

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Washington will deploy more than 500 consular officials to process applications, while the White House asserts that visa wait times for the tournament have been reduced in more than 80% of countries.

However, Andrew Giuliani, the director of the White House visa task force, stated that every decision regarding visas is a matter of national security and did not rule out immigration raids under President Donald Trump’s policies.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino informed that more than 150 million ticket applications have been received, a figure 30 times higher than the number of tickets available, which reflects the enormous demand for the event.

Although an Insa poll published by Bild revealed that 47% of Germans would support a boycott if Trump annexes Greenland, the German government insists that the decision rests with sports federations.

The debate was sparked by Oke Göttlich, a director of the German Football Association (DFB) and president of FC St. Pauli. German politicians such as Roderich Kiesewetter and Jürgen Hardt, both from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), also suggested a boycott as a last resort to pressure Trump.

German Sport Minister Christiane Schenderlein and Social Democrat Aydan Özoguz, chair of the Bundestag’s Sports Committee, emphasized the autonomy of sport, while acknowledging the difficulty of enjoying it under political “blackmail.”

European human rights activists and politicians have also criticized the internal polarization in the U.S., strict immigration laws, and the murder of activist Renee Good, shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.

German Green Party Member Tina Winklmann stated that Trump’s actions contradict fundamental values ​​of sport, such as transparency, respect, non-discrimination, and safety.

Although it seems unlikely that teams like Germany, managed by Julian Nagelsmann, will withdraw from the World Cup, a political boycott or a boycott by fans who might avoid attending due to security concerns is being considered.

In the UK, members of parliament from various parties in the House of Commons called for the U.S. to be excluded from the World Cup, while in Mexico, nearly 250 activists demonstrated in front of the U.S. Embassy to call for a boycott of the World Cup.

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE – DW

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