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

Compulsory Disclosure for Visa Waiver Applicants

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

"The US government's announced plans are deeply concerning," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He added, "This policy introduces a climate of fear of surveillance that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is supposed to embody and it must be rescinded immediately."

Roots in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The proposal follows an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in January that seeks "to ensure that all aliens seeking admission the United States are vetted and screened to the fullest extent possible."

Government Statement and Reasoning

A representative for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offered clarification on the issue. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those traveling to the country," the official stated. "It is not a implemented policy, it is simply the initial phase in starting a discussion to have additional measures to protect the public safe."

The representative further noted, "We are constantly looking at how we vet those entering the country, especially after the terrorist incident in Washington DC. The measure is in line 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 additional information from non-US citizens using the ESTA program."