White House fails to rule out ICE raids in and around World Cup stadiums ahead of draw

Source: Independent

The 2026 World Cup draw is taking place on December 5 and will determine the initial schedule for next year’s competition
Graig Graziosi in Washington, D.C. • Friday 05 December 2025 00:02 GMT

The Trump administration is insisting that the U.S. is open and welcomes foreign visitors ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, even as a White House official refused to say whether or not ICE agents will target foreign fans attending the matches.

Andrew Giuliani, the Executive Director for the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, held a Wednesday press conference discussing next year’s big games.

Reporters peppered him with questions, including inquiries about whether foreign visitors may be targeted by ICE agents when entering the U.S. or attending games.

The press conference was held just two days before the World Cup draw event, in which the initial game schedule will be determined through a drawing of participating teams. On the day of the draw, FIFA will also announce the recipient of its newly-created “FIFA Peace Prize,” which is meant to acknowledge individuals who have taken “exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.”

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Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-raids-world-cup-draw-white-house-b2878447.html