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A newly proposed requirement for soccer tournament supporters journeying to the US to disclose their online profile details has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Submission for Visa Waiver Applicants

Under the plan, visitors from 42 countries—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to provide details about online accounts they have held in the past five years. Previously, providing this data was voluntary.

"These proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He added, "This policy creates a climate of fear of surveillance that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is supposed to represent and it must be withdrawn immediately."

Roots in an Previous Presidential Directive

The proposal follows an executive order issued by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to guarantee that all foreign nationals seeking admission the US are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."

Official Response and Justification

A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided context on the issue. "This is not a change on this front for those traveling to the country," the official said. "It is not a final rule, it is simply the initial phase in initiating a process to have additional measures to keep the American people secure."

The representative added, "The department are constantly looking at how we screen those coming into the country, particularly after the recent incident in Washington DC. This new proposal is consistent with the January 2025 directive to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by allowing CBP to collect further data from foreign nationals using the visa waiver programme."