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A newly proposed mandate for soccer tournament supporters journeying to the United States to hand over personal online account information has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Submission for ESTA Travelers

According to the proposal, visitors from 42 countries—such as the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to provide information about online accounts they have maintained in the last five-year period. Previously, submitting this data was optional.

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

He added, "The measure introduces a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is meant to embody and it must be rescinded immediately."

Roots in an Previous Executive Order

The proposal follows an executive order issued by former President Trump in early 2025 that aims "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the United States are vetted and screened to the fullest extent possible."

Official Response and Reasoning

A representative for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offered clarification on the issue. "This is not a change on this subject for those traveling to the country," the official said. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the first step in initiating a process to have additional measures to keep the public secure."

The representative further noted, "The department are constantly looking at how we screen those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington DC. This new proposal is in line with the January 2025 Executive Order to vet those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by allowing CBP to collect further data from foreign nationals using the ESTA program."