"People are allowed to protest": Trump wants to allow pro-Palestine demonstrators to attend the Club World Cup

Trump is cracking down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the US. However, this should not be an obstacle for football fans who have participated in such protests in view of the upcoming Club World Cup. Russia's participation in the World Cup is also being discussed.

According to US President Donald Trump, football fans who participated in pro-Palestinian protests will be able to travel to the United States for the Club World Cup in a few weeks without any problems. "People are allowed to protest. You have to do it in a reasonable way, not necessarily in a friendly way, but in a reasonable way," Trump said at a meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House, adding: "Yeah, you have a right to protest."

From June 15 to July 13, the USA will host the Club World Cup, which will be held for the first time in a new and larger format, with 32 teams participating, including German champions FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

In recent months, the United States, under the Trump administration, has tightened its immigration and migration policies, preventing even people with valid travel documents or green cards from entering the country. This recently led to a decline in arrivals; preliminary figures published in April by the National Travel and Tourism Office showed 11.6 percent fewer arrivals from overseas than in the same period in 2024.

The US government has also adopted measures to curb anti-Semitism. Numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations have occurred, particularly at universities in the country, and the handling of these led to resignations at the university leadership levels. Critics warn that Trump's regulations will focus on participants in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, even though such protests are not inherently anti-Semitic. There are concerns that they will restrict unwelcome political statements—such as criticism of the Israeli government.

FIFA does not rule out Russian participation

In contrast to the Club World Cup, in which no Russian team will participate, FIFA President Infantino has not categorically ruled out the Russian national team's participation in the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico next year. When Trump was surprised by a question about Russia's current exclusion due to its war of aggression against Ukraine, Infantino said: "They are excluded until further notice, but we hope something happens and peace happens, and then we'll allow Russia back in. That's what we hope." However, Russian participation in the ongoing qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup currently seems unrealistic.

Trump also announced that the son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will head the task force responsible for the 2026 World Cup. Andrew Giuliani was an advisor to Trump during his first term. Carlos Cordeiro, a FIFA consultant, is also part of the task force. "Together, this group will help plan the largest, safest, and most extraordinary soccer tournament in history," Trump said.