Human Rights Watch Releases World Cup 'Reporters' Guide' — Warns Tournament Will Kick Off in 'Climate of Fear'

Human Rights Watch published a 'Reporters' Guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup' on April 27, warning that the tournament will 'kick off in a climate of fear.' The guide documents ongoing US immigration enforcement creating a chilling effect on international visitors and journalists; increased threats to press freedom in host countries; discrimination risks for LGBTQ+ fans and players; and FIFA's failure to enforce its own anti-discrimination and human rights commitments ahead of kickoff. The report follows Amnesty International's 'Humanity Must Win' campaign and ACLU documentation of National Guard deployments near Los Angeles and other host cities. HRW called on FIFA and host governments to take immediate remedial action, noting the April 30 Vancouver Congress as the last major formal opportunity before the tournament. The guide was explicitly aimed at helping journalists cover human rights dimensions alongside on-pitch competition, with 45 days remaining before the June 11 opening match.