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A newly proposed mandate for soccer tournament fans journeying to the United States to disclose their social media account information has been called "deeply troubling."

Mandatory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Applicants

Under the plan, visitors from 42 countries—such as the UK—who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be obliged to submit details about online accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Until now, providing this data was optional.

"These announced plans are deeply concerning," stated Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right of privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan gives up those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "The measure introduces a climate of fear of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is meant to represent and it must be rescinded immediately."

Origins in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The proposal stems from an presidential directive issued by former President Trump in January that aims "to ensure that all aliens wishing to enter the US are vetted and screened to the fullest extent possible."

Official Statement and Reasoning

A spokesperson for the border agency offered context on the matter. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those coming to the country," the official stated. "This is not a final rule, it is merely the initial phase in initiating a process to have new policy options to keep the American people secure."

The spokesperson added, "We are constantly looking at how we screen those coming into the country, particularly after the terrorist attack in the capital. This new proposal is consistent with the January 2025 directive to thoroughly check those who are coming into this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to gather further data from foreign nationals applying through the visa waiver programme."