Controversial 'mandatory checks' proposed for people travelling to FIFA World Cup in America
Football fans hoping to watch their team play in the 2026 World Cup may have to hand over their social media profiles in order to enter the US under proposed changes.
The tournament will be held across the US, Canada and Mexico later this year, and is expected to draw in over a million international fans hoping to get in on the action.
That is, if you're able to get past US immigration.
Since returning to office, Donald Trump has sought to tighten restrictions on who can answer the US, with recent travel bans meaning fans from participating countries such as Haiti, Iran and Senegal will likely have to watch matches in Canada, Mexico or at home.
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Meanwhile, the rest of us will need to make sure we have the correct documents before heading stateside, which includes obtaining an ESTA visa.
Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) documents are required for citizens of Visa Waiver Programme countries - which includes Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom - visiting on tourism or business grounds.
Getting an ESTA traditionally required traditional visa information such as your passport, personal details and criminal history; however, a recent proposal made by the Trump administration could require applicants to list any social media accounts used within the past five years.
Published at the back end of last year, the proposal would mean optional questions regarding an applicant's social media presence would become mandatory.
"We just want people to come over here, and safe. We want safety. We want security, President Trump said of the news back in December, per the BBC.
"We want to make sure we're not letting the wrong people come enter our country."
What are the changes being made to the US ESTA programme?
According to Arc Legal, if the changes are implemented, applicants will be required to share all social media platforms used during the last five years, including usernames.
This information will then be cross checked, with authorities even possibly reviewing your online behaviour.
This means it may be time to delete your stash of JD Vance memes.
Failure to upload social media information may result in an application being rejected.
As it stands, according to the US Customs and Border Protection website, applications without social media handles or people who prefer to remain offline are currently processed 'without a negative interpretation or inference'.
However, this could change before the World Cup kicks off in June.
Brenna Cooper