Club World Cup | FIFA football and Trump politics: Contested Los Angeles

Los Angeles FC's ultras are known in the USA for being creative, loud, and passionate. A week ago, however, they watched their team's home game against Kansas City without chants, drums, or pyrotechnics. They remained so silent that the occasional cough could be heard in the stadium. Instead, the fans held banners protesting against the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) . "Abolish ICE" read one poster. Another slogan: "When injustice becomes the law, resistance becomes a duty."

The management of LAFC, arguably the most popular soccer club on the West Coast, also issued a statement. "Today, as many feel fear and uncertainty in our city , LAFC stands shoulder to shoulder with all members of our community."

Consequences for the new Club World Cup

Both were reactions to the US government's tightened immigration policy. ICE also conducted raids in Los Angeles and detained migrants. Peaceful protests followed. Nevertheless, President Donald Trump sent 2,000 National Guard troops to the city – against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom. The political atmosphere is likely to remain charged – and that would also have consequences for football. In the coming weeks , the new Club World Cup will also be hosted in Pasadena, a suburb of Los Angeles.

Immigration officials announced the presence of staff at the tournament, noting that "all non-U.S. citizens must carry proof of their legal status." LAFC players also commented on such moves. "It's important that we don't retreat into our corners and be afraid," said striker Jeremy Ebobisse.

Stadium as a place of diversity

Around half of Los Angeles's residents have roots in Mexico or other Hispanic countries. A disproportionate number of them live in Downtown, where the protests erupted. LAFC, which lost its first match in Atlanta to Chelsea London 2-0 on Monday evening at the Club World Cup, plays at BMO Stadium in LA, just a few minutes' drive from Downtown. So if there's one place where the diversity of Latinos can be seen and heard, it's the Los Angeles FC stadium. Vendors there also sell flags and scarves in the Mexican colors. And the LAFC ultras chant "Viva Los Angeles" and "Vamos" - "Let's go!"

"Mexican immigrants have been coming to the United States for decades, hoping for better working conditions," says Mike Woitalla, editor-in-chief of the online publication Soccer America. "But they still feel a connection to their homeland. They can express these emotions through football." This applies to Major League Soccer (MLS), the top US soccer league, and especially to international matches. The Mexican Football Association frequently rents stadiums in the United States, where many Latinos live, for its national team's friendly matches.

Many similarities

In soccer, the USA and Mexico have long formed a common market. Clubs from both countries meet for test tournaments in the summer. The league that achieves the highest ratings in the USA is not the MLS or the English Premier League, but the Mexican professional Liga MX. The Mexican Football Association generates a third of its annual revenue in the USA: through broadcast rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales. In this environment, the next FIFA World Cup, to be held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada in 2026, was viewed as the next stage of a lucrative business.

In the Trump era, however, this painstakingly built network may be reaching its limits. One example: On Saturday, the Gold Cup, one of the most important international tournaments in North and Central America, opened at Los Angeles' Sofi Stadium. The Mexican national team beat the Dominican Republic 3-2. At the last three matches in this stadium, the Mexican selection had an average attendance of 64,000. This time, 54,000 attended. Amid raids and protests, many fans of Mexican descent forfeited their tickets. Apparently, many immigrants without legal status are also concerned about being arrested in a heavily guarded environment. Groups demonstrated against immigration authorities outside the stadium.

There has been no clear criticism of Trump from officials, associations, or leading national players from the US or Mexico. This was different in 2016, after his first election as president. Back then, both teams posed for a joint photo before their World Cup qualifying match in Columbus. Will there be similar photos at the Club World Cup or next year's World Cup?

Fight for the favor of Latinos in LA

The influence of Latinos in US soccer has grown steadily over the decades. Immigration laws passed in 1965 under President Lyndon B. Johnson facilitated migration from the South. Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans came to the United States, bringing with them their religion and their hobbies, including soccer. "The migrants had to work hard and experienced racism early on," says Mexican-US sociologist José Alamillo. "Through sports, they were able to socialize and talk about their native traditions."

In Major League Soccer, which was launched in 1996, Los Angeles clubs—LA Galaxy and LAFC—are also seeking to win the favor of Latinos. The same applies to the third and newest professional club in Los Angeles, Angel City, a member of the National Women's Soccer League since 2022. "If you want to build trust in the communities, you have to be there," says Nicole Moreno, who developed Angel City's outreach program—meaning measures to generate interest throughout the city. "It's not enough to just make phone calls or send out mass emails."

Angel City, for example, invites Mexican influencers to its women's soccer team's home games and organizes events in East LA, where many Latinos live. The club also plays friendly matches against the Mexican national team, the "Copa Angelina." This, too, is a social network that is likely to be particularly challenged in the era of US President Trump. On Saturday, Angel City played against North Carolina Courage. The players wore special T-shirts bearing the message "Immigrant City Football Club."