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A recently unveiled mandate for World Cup fans journeying to the US to disclose their social media account information has been branded "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Submission for ESTA Applicants

According to the proposal, visitors from 42 countries—including the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to provide information about online accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Previously, providing this data was voluntary.

"The US government's proposed measures are deeply concerning," said Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right of privacy are universal human rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He added, "The measure creates a climate of fear of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded immediately."

Roots in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The plan follows an presidential directive issued by former President Trump in early 2025 that aims "to guarantee that all foreign nationals seeking admission the US are thoroughly checked to the fullest extent possible."

Government Response and Reasoning

A representative for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided clarification on the matter. "Nothing has changed on this front for those traveling to the United States," the official stated. "This is not a final rule, it is simply the initial phase in starting a discussion to have additional measures to protect the American people safe."

The spokesperson added, "The department are constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, particularly after the recent attack in the capital. The measure is in line with the earlier directive to thoroughly check those who are entering this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to gather further data from non-US citizens using the visa waiver programme."