Former President Trump's Controversial Plan for FIFA World Cup Tourists to Reveal Social Media Histories Described as 'Chilling'

A newly proposed mandate for World Cup supporters traveling to the US to hand over personal online profile details has been called "deeply troubling."

Compulsory Disclosure for ESTA Applicants

Under the plan, visitors from dozens of nations—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to submit details about online accounts they have held in the past five years. Previously, providing this data was optional.

"These proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "This policy introduces a chilling atmosphere of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is meant to represent and it must be rescinded at once."

Origins in an Earlier Executive Order

The proposal follows an presidential directive signed by former President Trump in early 2025 that seeks "to ensure that all aliens seeking admission the United States are thoroughly checked to the fullest extent feasible."

Official Statement and Reasoning

A representative for the border agency provided context on the matter. "This is not a change on this front for those coming to the United States," the official said. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the initial phase in initiating a process to have new policy options to protect the public secure."

The spokesperson further noted, "The department are constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, particularly after the recent incident in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the earlier Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to gather additional information from foreign nationals applying through the visa waiver programme."