Human Rights

The successful joint bid by the United States, Canada and Mexico to host the FIFA World Cup 2026 was widely welcomed in international diplomatic circles, regarded as an exceptional achievement in cross-border sports diplomacy. Through the "WE ARE 26" slogan, FIFA and the host countries sought to present an image of regional cooperation and shared cohesion, promoting the idea that the soft power of sport could prevail over complex geopolitical differences.     Yet by the summer of 2026, these promises had collided with a completely different political reality. Rather than reflecting unity, seamless movement, and open borders, preparations for this major event revealed deep divisions and strict security measures across North America. As a result, the World Cup shifted from being an instrument of regional integration to a magnifying lens exposing the sharp political contradictions that shape the domestic and foreign policies of the host countries.

This article was originally published on Ahram Online on June 11, 2024.   In April 2022, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda under the newly enacted "Safety of Rwanda Bill." This bill generated significant controversy and was described as incompatible with the U.K.'s legal obligations. Both the British Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the bill violated legal obligations and was incompatible with international conventions to which the U.K. is a signatory. In June 2022, the first flight carrying asylum seekers from the U.K. to Rwanda was cancelled minutes before take-off after the European Court of Human Rights issued last-minute commands to stop it. Two years later, with a new Prime Minister in office and despite international legal pressure, Parliament has finally passed the bill. However, the controversy has not ended. The high economic costs and concerns over human rights continue to render the Safety of Rwanda Bill contentious and problematic.