🔗 Share this article

A newly proposed requirement for World Cup supporters traveling to the United States to hand over personal social media profile details has been called "deeply troubling."

Compulsory Submission for Visa Waiver Applicants

Under the plan, visitors from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to submit details about social media accounts they have maintained in the last five-year period. Previously, submitting this data was optional.

"The US government's announced plans are deeply concerning," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right to privacy are universal human rights. No supporter surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He continued, "This policy creates a chilling atmosphere of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is supposed to represent and it must be withdrawn immediately."

Origins in an Earlier Executive Order

The proposal follows an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in early 2025 that aims "to ensure that all aliens seeking admission the US are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."

Official Response and Justification

A representative for the border agency provided clarification on the issue. "Nothing has changed on this front for those traveling to the country," the official stated. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the initial phase in initiating a process to have new policy options to protect the American people secure."

The spokesperson further noted, "We are continuously evaluating how we screen those coming into the country, particularly after the terrorist attack in Washington DC. The measure is in line with the January 2025 directive to vet those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by enabling CBP to collect additional information from non-US citizens using the visa waiver programme."