As the United States prepares to host the globe’s most significant sporting spectacle, it’s also becoming a stage for a contrasting narrative of inclusion and exclusion.

While America embraces the excitement of international football, it simultaneously uses these events as a pretext for expelling individuals.

This paradox highlights the country’s current state, just seven months before the grand event kicks off.

In anticipation of the World Cup draw on Friday, Daily Mail Sport has engaged with various insiders across the Atlantic to assess if the U.S., alongside Mexico and Canada, is truly equipped to hold the world’s premier sports tournament.

America is gearing up to welcome the world inside its borders for the biggest sporting event on the planet

At the same time, America is using football tournaments as an opportunity to kick people out

The answer is anything but straightforward. Globally, we are witnessing an era marked by significant division.

America now finds itself as a place where stepping out to enjoy the beautiful game may be fraught with potential conflict. Meanwhile, the nation’s conservative leadership is contemplating barring progressive cities from hosting matches during these extraordinary times.

This is the wealthiest nation in the world. The land of opportunity, where soccer is still nowhere near the list of favourite sports – a fact that brings incredible (and lucrative) potential. When the tournament was last held there in 1994 it spawned a new league. 

The hope is that its return can boost that league into one of the major players within the sport, but there are also concerns here over a perceived lack of involvement from the country’s own federation, with FIFA controlling the competition and the cash flow. 

Staggering, surge ticket prices, have also triggered fears that the younger generations, will be priced out and that the legacy may suffer as a result. There are many opinions and there are many stories to tell.

The first comes from Everett, Massachusetts, a 45-mile drive from Gillette Stadium, the home of the NFL’s New England Patriots which will host seven matches and two knockout game.

North of Boston, Everett is a diverse city with a large Hispanic population. In September, it was due to host its annual Fiesta Del Rio, which celebrates its culture with a series of free events. One of those was to be a football tournament, hosted in conjunction with the New England Revolution, the area’s MLS team. It never happened.

Why? Because around a week beforehand, a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids were carried out across the city. They called it Patriot 2.0 – a crackdown on Massachusetts which came at a time when the Justice Department sued Boston over its ‘sanctuary city’ policies and its apparent unwillingness to co-operate with immigration enforcement, emboldened beyond recognition under President Trump.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been cracking down on illegal immigrants across the country

Anti-ICE protests have been rapidly shut down – including this one in St Paul, Minnesota

As it has in various diverse cities across the country, fear spread quickly. Very real concerns were raised that the tournament and other events, such as barbecues and concerts, meant to bring joy and togetherness, would instead bring deportation and see families ripped apart. The event was cancelled.

The mayor, Carlo DeMaria, made clear the reasons why. ‘Those who were going to be cooking for us, the food, the restaurants and the entertainment, just felt very uncomfortable,’ he said.

’People are concerned, are afraid, not only for themselves but for their families and their friends, for their coworkers,’ Victoria Robles, executive director of a local cultural centre, told CBS News. ‘We are living in unprecedented times.’

Down at the other end of the east coast comes a similar tale. In June, while at the Club World Cup, Daily Mail Sport revealed how ICE officers had been targeting amateur soccer matches. One witness spoke of how he had been playing in a Sunday League match in Orlando when officials quickly descended.

The door to the cage they were playing in was blocked by an unmarked van. Those on the field knew what was coming. The match was stopped as officers poured onto the pitch and papers were demanded.

‘They are targeting football,’ said the witness, ‘which isn’t a great look when you’re meant to be opening your doors to soccer fans from across the world.’

There have been other, troubling instances. At the final of the Club World Cup, held in the same 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium in New Jersey which will host the World Cup final, an asylum seeker who took his children to watch Chelsea play Paris Saint-Germain was arrested and subsequently returned.

‘A father who loves soccer planned a special day with his children at a FIFA tournament, ended up detained for three months, and was then sent to a country where he said his life is at risk,’ said Minky Worden, of Human Rights Watch who uncovered the incident.

At the final of the Club World Cup in July, an asylum seeker who took his children to watch Chelsea play Paris Saint-Germain was arrested and subsequently returned

That game took place in the same 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium in New Jersey which will host the World Cup final

‘Under the Trump administration’s policies, immigration enforcement at major sporting events can tear families apart and could expose people fleeing persecution to life-threatening danger.’

No guarantees have been given that World Cup matches will not be used for similar purposes.

‘Those heading to games from overseas will have a very different experience,’ explained one insider.

‘If you’re from England, or Germany, then you’ll love it. You will be welcomed and you will see packed, modern stadiums and a well-organised competition by a country which knows how to stage big events. You’ll need to bring your wallet for tickets, food and drink but you will have a great time. It will be smooth and you will enjoy it.

‘If you’re from, say, Curacao or Haiti, then you might think twice.’

On Saturday, venues and dates for all 104 games will be announced. The good news is that Trump’s threat to shift games and render FIFA’s special event, which will see the announcement made live on global TV meaningless, is not being taken seriously. 

‘Every one of these cities has been preparing to host games for eight years,’ explained one insider, who is involved in planning for the tournament. ‘It’s six years since they were confirmed. The cities cannot influence what federal government does or will do but I don’t think anyone is losing any sleep over it.

‘It’s not like moving a piece of furniture. More than one million tickets have been sold, not to mention the millions that have been spent on corporate hospitality. If you then decided to move all that it would be close to impossible, not only logistically, but financially. Nobody is panicking. It’s being viewed as a distraction.’

Curacao have qualified for the first ever World Cup – but their fans may not feel comfortable going to watch them across the Caribbean Sea

Likewise for Haiti, who are back at the World Cup for only the second time and first since 1974

One senior figure, at an MLS club, agrees. ‘The media keep asking Trump about it because it’s an easy win for clicks,’ they said. ‘The reality is that nobody thinks this is going to happen. A lot of the venues are miles away from the cities themselves. To shift them just wouldn’t make sense.’

There is a spirit of camaraderie between the cities and a willingness to work together, according to those with knowledge of the situation. Funding from federal government has been confirmed, along with a significant sum ringfenced for security.

The authorities believe they have learned much from the debacle at the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia in Miami last year, which saw kick-off delayed by 80 minutes after scores of ticketless fans forced their way into Hard Rock Stadium.

‘We’d never seen anything like it before,’ one security source explained. ‘They had people dropping in via air ducts. You don’t tend to see those levels of desperation to get in. This is a venue that has hosted Super Bowl but this was something else.’

Each stadium will be surrounded by a ‘ring of steel’ and those without tickets will, according to those involved, be unable to get anywhere near the entrances.

Concerns among those involved on the US side focus more on legacy. The ’94 World Cup spawned MLS and ’26 is being seen as a booster shot.

However, FIFA are the ones organising the tournament and working with local cities, rather than US Soccer. 

Historically, member associations have had more input, which has allowed them to leverage legacy components and ensure cross promotion. That has not happened here. Instead, FIFA will optimise profits and then cut a cheque.

At the Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia in Miami last year, kick-off was delayed by 80 minutes after scores of ticketless fans forced their way into Hard Rock Stadium

Each stadium will be surrounded by a ‘ring of steel’ and those without tickets will, according to those involved, be unable to get anywhere near the entrances

The worry among some is that an opportunity to increase involvement from kids during the tournament, and create lifelong fans through the tournament itself, is being missed.

Then there are the ticket prices. ‘For a group stage game if you want to take your family you can be looking at $5,000,’ explained one source at another MLS club. 

‘That’s before you’ve even thought about transport and hotels. Have they gone too far? It seems like only the elite can afford it. There’s nothing wrong with capitalism but there needs to be legacy.’

It recently emerged that seats for the final were being offered for between £6,000 and £43,200. Stadium maps show the majority of seats will be in the most expensive categories.

The fact that the resale of tickets in the US (and Canada) is not prohibited has sent prices even further north.

Indeed, FIFA is allowing the resale of tickets on its own platform and charging both seller and buyer a 15 per cent fee, although that does at least mean football rather than the traditional resellers, will profit.

FIFA also say they will ringfence tickets in certain categories for the next phase of sales at fixed prices, which will include tickets reserved for members of each country’s official fan groups and which will be located behind the goals.

Putting the rights and wrongs to one side, such demand speaks to a huge appetite. Excitement is building on never-seen-before levels, according to many. More than six months out, branding is already noticeable in cities including Boston, New York and Washington DC.

More than six months out, branding is already noticeable in cities including Boston, New York and Washington DC

‘We’re ready to put on a show,’ said our source. ‘It’s going to be an incredible six weeks’

‘Everyone is talking about it, from hardcore NFL fans to existing soccer fans,’ the source added. ‘In the MLS we are really hoping this boosts participation and fanbase. 

‘A lot of the clubs are holding watch parties, where fans can come to stadiums, familiarise themselves with the place and hopefully have a great day which makes them want to come back.’

The source believes that, despite the hype, the country is in a good place.

‘We’re all ready to welcome the world and to take advantage. We’re ready to put on a show. It’s going to be an incredible six weeks.’