Most Americans oppose ICE agents at World Cup

KIRBY LEE/IMAGN IMAGES

Immigrant rights advocates and labor groups in Los Angeles join in 

protest of ICE’S planned presence at World Cup games this summer.

Poll finds nearly 2 in 3 disapprove of agents patrolling U.S. stadiums

4 Jun 2026 - The Washington Post

BY RICK MAESE AND SCOTT CLEMENT

Americans broadly oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents patrolling U.S. stadiums during this summer’s World Cup, according to a nationwide Washington Post-university of Maryland poll, a sign of public resistance to making immigration enforcement visible at the global soccer showcase.

Nearly 2 in 3 Americans, roughly 65 percent, oppose ICE agents being stationed at U.S. stadiums during the tournament, which will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 7 in 10 Republicans support the idea, while more than 7 in 10 independents and more than 9 in 10 Democrats oppose it.

ICE’S role has emerged as one of the most scrutinized — and least transparent — issues in the lead-up to the World Cup, which begins June 11 and will feature 48 teams and 104 matches across North America. The U.S. men’s national team is scheduled to play its first match June 12 against Paraguay at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

The poll also finds that Americans widely support allowing Iran’s national team to play World Cup matches in the United States, and most say Iranian players should be allowed to stay in the country if they fear persecution from their government. Together, the findings suggest that Americans are wary of turning the tournament into a stage for either immigration enforcement or international conflict.

Federal officials have said ICE will be part of the broader security apparatus for the tournament, though they have sought to distinguish that role from routine immigration enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said ICE and Homeland Security Investigations will focus on issues such as counterfeit goods, human trafficking, intelligence coordination and transnational crime.

FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Roughly 65 percent of Americans polled oppose Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement agents being stationed at World Cup stadiums.

But the precise contours of ICE’S role around stadiums, fan zones and match-day operations have remained unclear, fueling concern among immigrant advocates, some lawmakers and fans.

The poll finds similar opposition among soccer fans and nonfans, an indication that views on the issue are not simply a reflection of who is most likely to watch or attend World Cup matches. Sixty-eight percent of soccer fans oppose having ICE agents present at stadiums, as do 64 percent of those who are not soccer fans.

Opposition is especially high among Black and Hispanic Americans, nearly 8 in 10 of whom oppose ICE agents being present at stadiums. White Americans are more divided, with 58 percent opposed and 42 percent supportive.

The question has become more politically charged amid President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation drive and broader concerns that immigration enforcement could affect attendance or the atmosphere around matches. Immigrant advocates and liberal lawmakers have warned that an ICE presence could deter undocumented immigrants, mixed-status families and some international visitors from attending games.

Mullin has sought to reassure the public that ICE agents will not be carrying out broad immigration sweeps around World Cup matches. But he has not ruled out enforcement actions involving people suspected of criminal activity, leaving open questions about how agents will operate in and around stadiums during one of the largest sporting events ever staged.

Opposition to ICE agents at World Cup stadiums is somewhat higher than broader opposition to expanded immigration enforcement. In a February Washington POST-ABC News-ipsos poll, 53 percent of Americans opposed expanded ICE operations to detain and deport undocumented immigrants, while 40 percent supported them. Sixty-two percent opposed the tactics ICE is using to enforce immigration laws, while 31 percent supported them.

Republicans have remained strongly supportive of ICE. In the February poll, 81 percent of Republicans supported expanded detention and deportation operations, and 70 percent supported ICE’S enforcement tactics. In the POST-UMD poll, Republicans support stationing ICE agents at stadiums during matches.

The poll finds bipartisan support for allowing Iran’s national team to play World Cup matches in the United States. Three-quarters of Americans say Iran should be allowed to play World Cup matches in the United States, including 64 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of 2024 Trump voters. About 8 in 10 independents and Democrats also support allowing Iran’s team to play here.

Iran’s presence at the World Cup is expected to be among the tournament’s most closely watched storylines, given recent military action and the strained relationship between Washington and Tehran. The team is expected to report to training camp in Mexico later this week, after its World Cup training base was moved last month from Tucson to Tijuana.

Iran is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in the United States this month — two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle — and plans to return to Tijuana between games. Players, coaches and staff members are still awaiting U.S. visas.

FIFA has been consistent in saying Iran will be allowed to compete in the tournament, but Trump has sent mixed signals about the team’s participation, saying this spring that it would be “welcome” in the United States while also suggesting its players should not attend “for their own life and safety.” Writing on Truth Social in March, Trump added: “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there.”

Despite those tensions, the POST-UMD poll finds broad support for Iran’s participation. Soccer fans are somewhat more likely than non-fans to say Iran should be allowed to participate: Eightyone percent of soccer fans support allowing Iran to play in the United States, compared with 72 percent of those who are not fans.

Nearly 7 in 10 Americans also say Iranian soccer players should be allowed to stay in the United States if they fear persecution from the Iranian government. That view includes 79 percent of Democrats and 72 percent of independents, as well as smaller majorities of Republicans and Trump voters.

Republicans’ openness to Iranian players seeking protection in the United States contrasts with their broader views on ending temporary status for migrants from conflict-ridden countries. In an April Washington POST-ABC News-ipsos poll, about two-thirds of Republicans supported ending such programs. In the POST-UMD poll, 55 percent of Republicans and 57 percent of Trump voters say Iranian soccer players should be allowed to stay in the United States if they fear persecution from the Iranian government.

Americans are skeptical that hosting the World Cup will improve the country’s image abroad. Barely 1 in 5 — 22 percent — say the tournament will make the United States’ reputation around the world better, while 10 percent say it will hurt the country’s image. More than 2 in 3 Americans — 68 percent — say hosting the World Cup will not make a difference. That skepticism cuts against the traditional idea of major international sporting events as soft-power opportunities for host countries.

The nationwide Washington Post-university of Maryland poll was conducted online and by phone May 14-18 among a random national sample of 1,030 U.S. adults drawn through the SSRS Opinion Panel, an ongoing survey panel recruited through random sampling of U.S. households. Overall results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. The poll was conducted in collaboration with the University of Maryland’s Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism and its Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement.