Senior FIFA management held a discussion with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the possibility of requesting US President Donald Trump to pause Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) raids during the FIFA World Cup, which will be held this summer, according to a report published by The Athletic on Tuesday.
Infantino boasts a close relationship with Trump, having attended his presidential inauguration, held several appearances in the Oval Office, attended Board of Peace meetings, awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, and posted a photo alongside Trump at a UFC event in Miami last weekend.
This has led some senior FIFA executives to believe Infantino can leverage this relationship to secure policy adjustments during the World Cup, the outlet reported.
The FIFA executives raised with Infantino the possibility of making a direct request to Trump to dial down ICE's presence during the tournament, according to four people familiar with the conversations, who were anonymously cited by The Athletic.
These conversations initially centered on keeping ICE away from the World Cup venues across the 11 US host cities, but broadened to include the cities themselves, according to the sources.
Sources told the outlet that Infantino has informed senior FIFA management that he was receptive and would seek to make a request to Trump.
ICE acting director Todd Lyons has previously said that the organization will play a "key part" in ensuring security during the event.
ICE's primary role, according to Lyons, would center on Homeland Security investigations, but labor unions and members US the US Congress have raised concerns that ICE could conduct immigration enforcement raids near World Cup events, the report noted.
FIFA members have also privately stated concerns to the global soccer governing body about potential ICE activity during the tournament, according to The Athletic.
Fans complained about human rights issues during the US-hosted Club World Cup in the summer of 2025, the report cited. These included allegedly seeing Customs and Border Protection and ICE officials at stadiums during the tournament.
A Homeland Security Department spokesperson denied that ICE or CBP conducted enforcement, describing it as "another case of fear-mongering," the outlet reported at the time.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle did not respond to The Athletic's request for comment, but said that "Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be one of the greatest and most spectacular events in the history of mankind, right here in the United States of America. This event will generate billions of dollars of economic impact and bring hundreds of thousands of jobs to our country. The president is focused on making this the greatest World Cup ever while ensuring it is the safest and most secure in history."
White House FIFA World Cup Task Force executive director Andrew Giuliani told The Athletic that Trump instructed him to "ensure a safe and secure World Cup."
SoFi Stadium workers urge FIFA to bar ICE from World Cup, threaten strike
Amid these concerns, a union representing about 2,000 food service workers at SoFi Stadium said on Monday it was demanding that FIFA keep ICE away from World Cup operations in Los Angeles and warned workers could strike if their concerns are not addressed.
Unite Here Local 11, which represents cooks, servers, and bartenders at the Inglewood venue, said the workers remain without a labor contract as the World Cup approaches.
The union laid out three main demands to FIFA and stadium owner Kroenke Sports & Entertainment: a public commitment that ICE and Border Patrol will play no role in the tournament, protections for union jobs and working conditions, and support for affordable housing for hospitality workers.
Acting Department of Homeland Security Director Todd Lyons has said that ICE would play a "key part" in the World Cup, a prospect the union said threatened worker and guest safety in Los Angeles.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Representatives from SoFi Stadium declined to comment.
Local 11 said it also wanted assurances that artificial intelligence and automation would not be used during the tournament to eliminate union jobs.
The union linked its labor demands to broader concerns over housing costs in the Los Angeles area, particularly in Inglewood, and called for support for a workforce housing fund, restrictions on short-term rentals and tax measures aimed at funding affordable housing and immigrant family protections.
"FIFA and its corporate sponsors will pocket billions from Los Angeles while refusing to even acknowledge the cooks, servers, and stand attendants who make this event possible," Kurt Petersen, co-president of Local 11, said in a statement.
The union said it had repeatedly sought meetings with FIFA since Los Angeles was chosen as a host city, but had been ignored. Los Angeles is set to host eight World Cup matches at SoFi Stadium, the first being the US against Paraguay on June 12.
Morocco joins White House FIFA security task force
Meanwhile, Morocco was selected to participate in the White House Task Force of the FIFA World Cup, the US Embassy to Morocco confirmed on Tuesday.
"As we look forward to celebrating 250 years of friendship with Morocco, this is another opportunity to further strengthen our security cooperation and share our love of sports," the embassy's X/Twitter post read.
Reuters contributed to this report.