Journalists covering the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States could face interrogations or hostility from immigration officials at borders and stadiums, the Committee to Protect Journalists warned on May 21.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) stated this Thursday that journalists traveling to the United States for the FIFA World Cup 2026 must be aware of potential interrogations and hostility from immigration authorities at borders and even within stadiums.

“Based on experiences from recent months in the United States, journalists traveling to this country should know that their press credentials will not necessarily protect them at the border or when reporting on the streets”, said Jodie Ginsberg, CPJ Executive Director, in a statement.

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“We have seen how immigration control is used as a tool to silence journalistic work, with authorities detaining, denying entry to, or deporting journalists, not for committing any crime, but for their journalistic work.” This proactive alert underscores a growing pattern of restrictions faced by the media in the U.S.

According to the CPJ, several journalists have been “assaulted, arrested, detained and deported” in the United States in connection with their work over the past few months.

FIFA has accredited approximately 50,000 journalists and media workers to cover the World Cup 2026, which will be held across two stadiums in Canada, three in Mexico and 11 in the United States. The organization has consistently denounced that under the Trump Administration, international journalists, commentators and writers who had previously traveled to the country have been prohibited from entering or denied visas to the United States.

The CPJ emphasized the need for a clear and consistent policy that upholds the rights of journalists to perform their duties without undue interference, particularly in a country that prides itself on freedom of the press.

Intensified Pressures Continue

In December 2025, the CPJ reported that journalists operating in the United States faced “extraordinary and intensified pressures” amidst President Donald Trump’s second term. The organization cited “from frivolous lawsuits and serious restrictions on coverage, including the expulsion of experienced journalists from the White House and the Pentagon, to an unprecedented increase in immigration-related attacks against journalists by law enforcement.” This earlier report concluded that “press freedom in the United States is under siege.”

Furthermore, the CPJ pointed out that the Trump Government “has created barriers to restrict journalists’ access to Administration officials and has instituted policy changes to control the dissemination of information.”

The ongoing nature of these pressures necessitates vigilance and international solidarity among media organizations to safeguard journalistic integrity and the public’s right to information. This situation underscores the critical role of organizations like the CPJ in monitoring and advocating for the rights of journalists globally, especially in contexts where those rights are increasingly challenged.

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