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A recently unveiled requirement for soccer tournament supporters journeying to the United States to hand over their online account information has been branded "profoundly unacceptable."

Mandatory Submission for Visa Waiver Applicants

Under the plan, visitors from 42 countries—including the UK—who use the visa waiver program would be obliged to submit information about online accounts they have maintained in the past five years. Previously, submitting this information was voluntary.

"These proposed measures are profoundly unacceptable," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are universal human rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they enter a country."

He continued, "The measure introduces a chilling atmosphere of monitoring that directly contradicts the inclusive atmosphere the tournament is meant to represent and it must be rescinded at once."

Origins in an Earlier Presidential Directive

The proposal follows an presidential directive signed by former President Trump in early 2025 that seeks "to guarantee that all aliens wishing to enter the United States are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."

Government Statement and Justification

A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offered context on the issue. "Nothing has changed on this subject for those coming to the United States," the official said. "It is not a final rule, it is merely the first step in initiating a process to have new policy options to keep the public secure."

The representative further noted, "We are continuously evaluating how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the recent attack in the capital. The measure is in line with the January 2025 Executive Order to vet those who are entering this country using ESTA by enabling CBP to gather additional information from foreign nationals using the visa waiver programme."