The Fifa World Cup is still months away, but the Winter Olympics offered a preview of how international sport can become entangled with US immigration policy. But what unfolded revealed something more troubling: the normalisation of domestic immigration crackdowns inside global sporting arenas. President Donald Trump has already used Fifa's ceremonial stage to advance his own political image – most notably when he was awarded a “peace prize” at the World Cup draw in Washington in December. Now concerns are spreading among federations, sponsors and political leaders about how immigration enforcement might shape the tournament's atmosphere. There have already been reports of large-scale visa cancellations linked to the summer's multi-city tournament. But that distinction offers little reassurance to supporters navigating unpredictable processing times, heightened scrutiny and the possibility of ICE enforcement activity around matchdays. With extended travel bans affecting countries such as Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Haiti, the World Cup increasingly revolves around a stark question: will fans be allowed to show up at all – and will they feel safe if they do? Today, however, it is more likely to be governments politicising the pitch. There is nothing organic about turning soft culture into a projection of state power. The 1936 Olympics were a pure display of pro-Hitler propaganda and ideological dominance. In apartheid South Africa, authorities used sport to project normalcy abroad. That façade collapsed only when athletes, federations and governments refused to play along – culminating in the International Olympic Committee banning South Africa from the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games because of its racial segregation of athletes. The tournament's energy flowed from that sense of arrival and belonging. This principle extends beyond hosting to the ecosystems that sustain international sport. In Bangladesh, for example, sportswear manufacturer Youngone Corporation recently hosted the Bangladesh Football Federation at its Korean Export Processing Zone in Chattogram to support training for the women's national team – creating pathways for athletes from underrepresented nations to compete on the world stage. But such investment presumes access – that players, fans and federations can travel freely. When that mobility is curtailed, decades of effort to globalise the game are quietly undermined. That matters because this presidency has consistently measured success in the optics of scale – crowd size, ratings and global prestige. Coordinated international pressure – particularly from sponsors, participating nations and football federations – could push the administration to provide explicit guarantees on visa access, fan mobility and the scope of enforcement around matchdays. A ring-fenced, fast-track World Cup visa regime with transparent criteria and guaranteed timelines would restore confidence without compromising security. Fifa and participating nations should insist on tournament-specific visa protocols insulated from broader political crackdowns. Sponsors, meanwhile, must ensure enforcement operations are not staged for symbolic effect. Sporting access should be treated as critical infrastructure – not collateral damage in a domestic culture war. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Manchester United's bid to reach a fourth-straight Women's FA Cup final was ended on Sunday as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea after extra time in their fifth-round tie. Phallon Tullis-Joyce produced heroics in the Red Devils' goal but couldn't keep out strikes from Sam Kerr and Naomi Girma, while Simi Awujo's equaliser couldn't spark a come-from-behind win for Marc Skinner's side. However, it was Sonia Bompastor's side who eventually took the lead as substitute Kerr hooked a bouncing ball into the bottom corner. United were only behind for three minutes, however, as their own replacement, Awujo, poked the ball home after some pinball inside the Chelsea box to ensure extra-time. United did push for a second equaliser, but couldn't produce any clear chances to keep their hopes of another trip to Wembley alive. Had some issues with her kicking, but had no chance with either goal, and was particularly unlucky to concede the second after another excellent stop from Buurman's header. Unable to show off her attacking instincts as the home side dominated. Set-piece deliveries caused problems, too - most notably in the build-up to Awujo's equaliser. Swept up well on occasion while winning her fair share of headers. Caught out at times by runs in behind her but recovered pretty well, albeit she did pick up a booking. Made a bright start as she carried the ball forward well but looked to be growing frustrated before she went off in the second half. Showed some nice touches early on but United's lack of possession meant her influence soon waned. Looked the most likely to make something happen for United in attack. Cut a lonely figure up front for much of the afternoon but could not make the ball stick when it did come forward. Posed something of a threat down the left but her final pass or shot was too often lacking, most notably when she fired over midway through the second half. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting Did well to dig out a finish for the equaliser and put herself about in midfield. Thrown on for the second half of extra time. Only given the final 15 minutes of extra time to try and make an impact. Perhaps could have made his substitutions a little earlier but given his side's lack of rest, they acquitted themselves well enough despite the final score.

The newly-expanded tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and will see 104 games played. Blatter, 89, said the disparity is “not in the spirit of developing football” and accused the relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and his FIFA president Gianni Infantino of “turning football into politics”. “It's not right,” Blatter said in an interview released on Saturday with Radio Canada. “It's (the competition expansion to 48 teams) not good. And playing in three countries is even worse — especially since two of those countries are receiving nothing but crumbs.” FIFA declined to comment when contacted by The Athletic. The U.S. has imposed a string of travel bans on nationals from designated countries, including four countries (Senegal, Ivory Coast, Iran and Haiti) that have qualified for the World Cup since Trump's re-election. Blatter served as FIFA president between 1998 and 2015 before being banned from the sport for eight years after an investigation from the governing body's ethics committee. FIFA, and the Swiss authorities, alleged that a payment of two million Swiss francs was made as part of a plan to ensure Blatter was re-elected as FIFA president in 2011. Blatter denied the allegations and was cleared of financial wrongdoing in March 2025 by a Swiss appeals court. On Saturday, he criticised the relationship between Trump and Infantino, who entered a formal partnership aimed at regeneration in Gaza on Thursday. The current FIFA president attended the inaugural Board of Peace meeting and was seen wearing a red ‘USA' cap with '45-47′ on it, a reference to Trump's non-consecutive presidencies. “We have never seen anything like it,” he continued when asked about Trump being awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. Football is a social, cultural and grassroots event. Jessica Hopkins is a Staff News Editor at The Athletic.

Brazilian starlet Endrick has revealed the advice he received from Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe before he headed to Ligue 1 side Lyon on loan. The youngster has also admitted he has been surprised by the start he has made to life in France after making an instant impact in the French top flight, including scoring a hat-trick in a victory over Metz. Endrick made the switch to Lyon in January in a bid to play more regularly after struggling for game time at the Santiago Bernabeu. He told Telefoot: "Kylian Mbappé and Camavinga told me that Ligue 1 was a good league and that it was very competitive. They strongly recommended that I sign for Lyon because it's a great team. Endrick is set to return to Real Madrid at the end of the season and admits he is dreaming of winning titles with Los Blancos. He explained: "I really didn't expect things to go this well. But God is great and it was my destiny to be here. He has now been dubbed the 'matador' by some media outlets after his move to France, although he's unsure if the new name will stick. We'll see in the coming days if I stick with that little nickname,” he said. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Travel rules and safety concerns are making some soccer supporters think twice about attending FIFA World Cup matches. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, concerns about costs, U.S. politics, and travel rules are shaping how some fans view the tournament. But travel rules and safety concerns are making some supporters think twice. But some international groups say they are reconsidering World Cup travel as well. Three Lions Pride, England's official 2SLGBTQ+ supporters group, says it will not travel to the U.S. in an organized way, citing concerns about safety, discrimination, and human rights protections. Policy changes and political rhetoric have added to the uncertainty. The U.S. State Department has paused immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including some nations that qualified for the World Cup. In October, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to relocate matches scheduled for Boston, claiming parts of the city had been "taken over" by unrest. Travel industry officials say demand to attend matches remains high, but travellers want clarity before booking. Oswaldo Freitas, the CEO of Easy Time Travel, said clients are seeking reassurance about possible disruptions and shifting entry rules. Travellers want to reassure that the rules won't change after they have booked," he said. Despite hearing concerns, Freitas says interest to visit the U.S. remains strong. "Even with all this noise ... We have been receiving a lot of inquiries and new bookings requests as well," he said. FIFA says global excitement for the tournament has reached unprecedented levels, with more than half a billion ticket requests submitted during the Random Selection Draw phase, which ran from Dec. 11, 2025 to Jan. 13, 2026. Evain says that enthusiasm is not reflected among many European supporters. Evain said there are still fans that will travel because they don't want to miss out on the games and might be "less concerned" by U.S. politics. In December, FIFA slashed the price of some World Cup tickets for teams' most loyal fans following a global backlash. Canadian officials say the World Cup presents an opportunity to bring people together. "As much as we don't all necessarily agree with the politics of what's going on in the U.S. ... we have to find a way to make this an incredible experience for everyone,” said Jesse Marsch, Canada men's national team head coach. Marsch added that Canada's host cities are well positioned to welcome fans. "It's going to be really nice up here [in Canada] and the venues that we have are going to be amazing." government estimates the matches in Vancouver will lead to more than one million additional out-of-province visitors between 2026 and 2031, generating more than $1 billion in additional visitor spending. "[The] World Cup has an opportunity to unite us and show the world that we have more in common than what divides us," said Sim. Laurence Watt is an associate producer assigned to directing The Early Edition show in Vancouver. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges.

Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi was spotted being restrained by team-mate Luis Suarez after the team's 3-0 defeat to LAFC on Saturday in their MLS season opener. Messi was back from injury for the game against LAFC but unable to make an impact as Inter Miami kicked off a new season with a 3-0 defeat. It's a poor start to their title defence for the Herons and tempers flared afterwards. There are now fears that the incident could land Messi in hot water. Inter Miami reporter Franco Panizo posted on X: "Matt Miazga was suspended three games for something similar in 2023. Lionel Messi is at risk of facing a disciplinary sanction over his post-game actions last night." He told reporters: "They beat us fair and square, that's the reality. Clearly, Los Angeles made the difference in terms of transitions; they hurt us a lot. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting In the meantime, Inter Miami and Messi will go in search of their first win of the new season next time out against Orlando City.

Jackson moved to the Bavarian giants on a season-long loan in the summer but his contract includes a buy option. However, it has been reported that Bayern do not plan to sign Jackson permanently and that he will head back to the Blues at the end of the season. The Bavarian giants can make the transfer permanent if he plays at least 45 minutes in 40 appearances this season but that is looking unlikely. Jackson has only played 22 times this season in total for Bayern and the Bavarian giants are now "unlikely" to pursue a permanent transfer, according to The Times. Kompany has now been quizzed on Jackson's situation at the club but refused to give too much away. He told reporters after Saturday's 3-2 Bundesliga win over Eintracht Frankfurt: "We enjoy having Nicolas Jackson with us. The only thing I know is that we're very happy to have him." Liam Rosenior already have Joao Pedro, Marc Guiu and Liam Delap in his squad, while Emmanuel Emegha is set to arrive in the summer from sister club Strasbourg. He told reporters: "All strikers want to score goals, of course, that's why they play the game and what they love to do. But there's a lot more you need [to win games]. You need 11 attackers and 11 defenders at all times and Liam defends from the front amazingly well, so does Joao. They have contributed to what has been a good record for us recently, and it has to continue. If you look at most players' careers, after they have joined a club, it's the second season they really take off. I think Marc Gu"u, when we've called upon him, has been very good, and that needs to continue for us to be successful.' Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting The Bundesliga champions are back in action next weekend against Dortmund, while Chelsea face Arsenal at the Emirates in their next Premier League encounter.

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