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A newly proposed requirement for soccer tournament fans traveling to the US to disclose personal online account information has been called "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Applicants

According to the proposal, visitors from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to provide information about social media accounts they have held in the past five years. Until now, providing this information was optional.

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

He added, "This policy 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of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is supposed to represent and it must be rescinded immediately."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 Previous Executive Order

The proposal follows an executive order signed by Donald Trump in early 2025 that seeks "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the US are vetted and screened to the fullest extent feasible."

Official Statement and Justification

A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided context on the issue. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those traveling to the country," the spokesperson said. "This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have additional measures to keep the public safe."

The representative added, "The department are constantly looking at how we screen those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the earlier directive to vet those who are entering this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to collect additional information from non-US citizens applying through the visa waiver programme."