CPJ: press freedom must endure the American World Cup

The last time the men’s World Cup came to the United States, in 1994, my Midtown Manhattan office filled with colleagues from Central and South America who embodied the passion for the Beautiful Game. What the rest of the world knows as football and Americans know as soccer took over a glorious summer that delivered an epic championship carried live on Spanish-language television network Univision and simultaneously on the Spanish-language talk station Radio Wado 1280 AM, which could only be heard in the men’s restroom. In a rotating bathroom residency, my colleagues followed every minute, seeking the seemingly small indulgence of listening to Norberto “Titi” Longo and the now famous Andrés Cantor analyze every play, calling a “goooooool” as rhythmic crowds chanted for their team. That tournament delivered epic goals, culminating in a record fourth championship win for Brazil, leaving Latino communities all over the United States brimming with pride and dancing in celebration. This World Cup is different. In the U.S. — host to the vast majority of matches — journalists now operate in a climate of open hostility: aggressive law enforcement, targeting by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the threat of deportation. Already, journalists from Iran and African countries face restricted entry despite accreditation by FIFA. And the games will likely be subject to unprecedented levels of AI-assisted surveillance. My organization, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and press freedom advocates have been sounding the alarm and providing resources for safety. But fans and local authorities, including in the other two host countries — Canada and Mexico — must play a role too. Journalists are critical to weaving together a public narrative that conveys the magic of the games, the beauty of teamwork, and the skill of sportsmanship. But coverage goes well beyond the pitch. Reporters expose an underbelly of developments t