New York mayor says football 'would not exist without immigrants'

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday declared that football "would not exist without immigrants" ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 kickoff, highlighting the central role migrant communities play in the sport. In a post on X, Mamdani noted that immigrants play and coach the game, work in stadiums, and fill the stands, adding that six players on the US men's national team are immigrants.

Immigration enforcement tensions

The mayor's remarks came as the administration of US President Donald Trump reportedly plans to surge Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to New York City amid a broader crackdown on migrants. FIFA confirmed Monday that Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry to the US over the weekend and will no longer officiate at the tournament.

Defiance in host city

Mamdani vowed that New York City would not allow ICE or federal authorities to "sow fear" in communities as the World Cup begins. "As the world comes to our city, we will stand proudly with our immigrant neighbors and reject these attacks for what they are: an attempt to divide us," he wrote on X.