The 2026 FIFA World Cup is supposed to be about football. Instead, a significant portion of the conversation has shifted to who can actually get into the host country to watch it, play in it, or officiate it.
Brazilian star Vinicius Jr, who secured his nation’s qualification with a goal against Paraguay on June 15, 2026, has become a central figure in the tournament’s broader narrative.
A World Cup under a microscope
The tournament is being held in North America amid heightened US immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
Over 120 human rights groups have issued travel advisories related to US immigration policies and their potential impact on World Cup participants.
