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A recently unveiled mandate for World Cup supporters traveling to the United States to disclose personal social media profile details has been branded "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Submission for ESTA Travelers

Under the plan, visitors from dozens of nations—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to provide information about online accounts they have held in the last five-year period. Previously, providing this information was voluntary.

"These announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right of privacy are universal human rights. No supporter surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He added, "The measure creates a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is meant to represent and it must be rescinded at once."

Roots in an Previous Executive Order

The proposal stems from an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in early 2025 that seeks "to guarantee that all aliens wishing to enter the US are thoroughly checked to the fullest extent possible."

Government Response and Reasoning

A spokesperson for the border agency offered context on the matter. "Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States," the spokesperson stated. "It is not a implemented policy, it is merely the initial phase in starting a discussion to have new policy options to protect the American people secure."

The representative added, "The department are continuously evaluating how we screen those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist incident in the capital. The measure is in line with the earlier Executive Order to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to gather further data from foreign nationals applying through the visa waiver programme."