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A newly proposed requirement for soccer tournament supporters traveling to the United States to hand over their online profile details has been called "profoundly unacceptable."

Compulsory Submission for ESTA Travelers

According to the proposal, tourists from dozens of nations—including the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to submit details about social media accounts they have held in the last five-year period. Previously, providing this information was voluntary.

"The US government's proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," stated Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe. "Free speech and the right of privacy are universal human rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they cross a border."

He continued, "This policy introduces a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that fundamentally opposes the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is meant to represent and it must be withdrawn at once."

Roots in an Earlier Executive Order

The proposal follows an presidential directive issued by former President Trump in early 2025 that seeks "to guarantee that all foreign nationals seeking admission the United States are vetted and screened to the maximum degree feasible."

Government Statement and Reasoning

A representative for the border agency offered clarification on the matter. "This is not a change on this subject for those coming to the United States," the spokesperson stated. "It is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to protect the public secure."

The spokesperson further noted, "The department are continuously evaluating how we screen those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in the capital. The measure is consistent with the earlier Executive Order to vet those who are coming into this country using the visa waiver system by enabling CBP to gather further data from foreign nationals using the visa waiver programme."