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A newly proposed mandate for soccer tournament fans traveling to the US to hand over their online profile details has been called "profoundly unacceptable."

Mandatory Submission for ESTA Travelers

According to the proposal, visitors from 42 countries—including the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be required to submit details about online accounts they have maintained in the last five-year period. Until now, providing this data was voluntary.

"The US government's announced plans are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are fundamental rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "The measure creates a climate of fear of surveillance that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the World Cup is supposed to represent and it must be withdrawn at once."

Origins in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The proposal follows an presidential directive signed by Donald Trump in early 2025 that seeks "to ensure that all foreign nationals wishing to enter the United States are thoroughly checked to the maximum degree possible."

Government Response and Reasoning

A representative for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided context on the issue. "This is not a change on this subject for those coming to the country," the spokesperson stated. "It is not a final rule, it is simply the initial phase in initiating a process to have additional measures to protect the public safe."

The representative further noted, "We are continuously evaluating how we vet those entering the country, especially after the terrorist incident in the capital. The measure is in line with the January 2025 directive to thoroughly check those who are entering this country using ESTA by allowing CBP to collect further data from non-US citizens applying through the visa waiver programme."