Fear of Immigration Crackdowns Could Damper a Major Summer for Soccer in Charlotte

Soccer fandom peaks every four years with the FIFA World Cup. The “beautiful game,” a term popularized by legendary Brazilian fútboler Pelé in the 1970s, takes center stage globally as people proudly support their native countries or familial heritage.

While American interest in this quadrennial tournament and the sport in general has lagged behind much of the rest of the world in decades past, this year has seen a rise in interest in the US.

Among a number of other factors, that’s due in large part to the fact that the United States will host the 2026 World Cup, along with Canada and Mexico, for only the second time ever — the first since 1994.

From the launch of Group Stage fixtures on June 11 to the final match in New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19, North America will be home to one of the world’s most elite and exciting competitions.

That momentum will only carry on in Charlotte, which MLS has selected to host its 2026 All-Star Game for the first time, scheduled for July 29 at Bank of America Stadium.

Both events will attract international attention and tourism from all corners of the globe. That’s almost always a positive, but issues around racial profiling and immigration crackdowns have some fans concerned about what should be a glorious summer for soccer in America.

Latino supporter culture is central to Charlotte’s rise as a soccer city

Bryan and David Palma are siblings and diehard Charlotte FC fans. Both are active members of the Carolina Hooliganz, an official Charlotte FC Supporter Group made up predominantly of Latino fans.

The Palma brothers’ passion for soccer comes from their father.

“I just remember growing up watching the games,” said David Palma. “My dad always had soccer on the TV. So it started from a very young age. I played it all the way up to college until I broke my leg.”

With his playing career done, David put his passion for soccer into his local MLS squad, Charlotte FC, alongside his brother. After witnessing the energy flowing through the supporter group section during home matches, they knew they had to get involved.

The brothers now produce content for the Carolina Hooliganz. David even acquired media credentials to capture content on the field. He became a capo, one of the designated leaders of chants and songs on match days.

“The capos are the ones who set the tone on game day,” David told Queen City Nerve. “They get the party going. They’re like DJs. They feel the vibe out on the match, they pick the chant, and they get it going. Then they get the next one ready and keep it rolling.”

Among major professional sports in America, the international fan support at games is most pronounced in soccer. As the world’s most popular sport, it transcends borders, languages and status.

Match day fan rituals include prematch stadium marches, with sounds of percussion, brass instruments and supporter chants announcing a group’s presence along the route, often in foreign languages.

One might see fans in masks or sombreros. “Latin Night” isn’t necessary; it’s inherently part of the soccer experience in the supporter group tailgates and within the stadium.

Before games, Hooliganz and other supporter groups tailgate at 703 McNinch Street before marching to the stadium, creating an experience through sights, sounds and culture that builds up to the match.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re Latino or not, we welcome everyone,” said Bryan Palma. “We’re just one big family.”

Charlotte’s “soccer city” status depends on Latino turnout

In its inaugural home match in 2022, Charlotte FC set the MLS record attendance with 74,479 fans at “The Fortress,” as the team’s most fervent fans refer to Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte’s home-match attendance consistently ranks among the best in MLS, averaging close to 30,000 fans per match, with Latino turnout playing a large role as a key demographic.

According to the club, Latino fans account for nearly 20% of the team’s home attendance. The stadium has hosted international matches in recent years for which more than 60,000 fans usually pack the seats.

MLS pointed out these factors as reasons for rewarding Charlotte the 2026 All-Star Game.

“Charlotte has turned into a big-time soccer city, and we are pleased to bring the 2026 MLS All-Star Game to the Queen City,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber upon announcing the event in July 2025.

“The city and region keep showing up for the sport – from packed Charlotte FC crowds to global events like the FIFA Club World Cup and Copa América the past two summers,” Garber continued. “We’re excited to bring another marquee soccer event to Charlotte.”

As the Charlotte region’s growth continues to outpace the rest of the country, Garber’s endorsement reinforced Charlotte’s belief that it should be a host city for premiere events targeting international audiences, a point the club’s owner, David Tepper, underscored during last July’s press conference.

“The success of soccer matches at Bank of America Stadium has helped position Charlotte on the global stage as a premier destination for hosting some of the world’s top players and teams,” said Tepper, owner and chairman of Tepper Sports & Entertainment, which owns not only Charlotte FC but the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and Bank of America Stadium.

The Palma brothers are looking forward to the spotlight the MLS All-Star Game will place on Charlotte’s soccer culture.

“MLS All-Star is going to showcase Charlotte,” said Bryan Palma. “It’s a boost to our economy and it’s going to help the city grow. It’s what we need to bring to Charlotte to keep growing as a soccer city.”

However, events that have transpired in Charlotte since last summer’s announcement have only added to a broader political climate that has raised concerns around how Latino fans, whether visiting from other countries or simply attending festivities in their own towns, will be treated during a summer of high-profile soccer matches in America.

Operation Charlotte’s Web and the chilling effect of immigration raids

In November 2025, the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched Operation Charlotte’s Web with a stated purpose to target criminal illegal immigrants.

The execution of the raids struck fear in the community, as videos of ICE agents entering Latino-owned businesses, accosting landscapers while they worked and making arrests on church premises spread across social media.

Read more: With CBP Leaving Charlotte, Residents Shift Focus to Supporting Affected Communities (2025)

Local Latino residents took precautions. Some didn’t leave their homes for days, missing work or school. Some businesses modified operating hours or paused operations entirely.

Research from Bloomberg News showed that foot traffic along Central Avenue, one of Charlotte’s most heavily Latino corridors, declined not only in November but the months that followed, lasting to the present.

Bloomberg also found that absenteeism sharply increased during the raids in predominantly Latino middle and high schools in Mecklenburg County.

Whispers about impending immigration raids during MLS matches swept through Charlotte earlier in the fall. However, by the time CBP arrived in the Queen City, Charlotte FC had been eliminated from the playoffs.

“The concerns were there, but overall, I felt safe,” said Byran Palma. “Charlotte was always transparent with us. We didn’t have a game during that time stretch here, but if we did we probably weren’t going to tailgate. Community is such a big part of soccer and to fear even going outside, it just breaks my heart to see people go through that.”

Charlotte FC said it has no knowledge of DHS presence at any tailgates or matches during the 2025 season or this season, which kicked off on March 7.

Organizers push for immigration‑free zones at Charlotte soccer events

For the coming MLS All-Star Game, the MLS All-Stars will compete against the stars of Liga MX, the highest level of the Mexican football league system. If the turnout is similar to previous matches at Bank of America Stadium that have featured teams from Latin American countries, the stadium could be near capacity — and overwhelmingly Latino.

Some fans worry this could create an atmosphere for targeting and racial profiling by immigration officials around the stadium.

MLS failed to return interview requests or written questions for this story regarding how it will ensure fan safety during All-Star Week.

“The current administration already made it clear they’re going after asylum seekers, refugees, people with green cards, and anyone who hasn’t achieved the American dream yet,” said Hector Vaca Cruz, a community organizer with Action NC and the son of immigrants. “Their priority is to go after everyone, especially the Latino community.”

Vaca Cruz said Latino Americans are less fearful because they know their rights, but they can still be profiled, which can be traumatic in its own right. He said he’s had similar experiences himself.

“I’ve had ICE agents make me strip off all my clothes to prove I don’t have any tattoos,” Vaca Cruz recalled. “I’ve been stopped by Border Patrol agents at the airport, where I had to prove my US citizenship even though I had an ID. That’s the way they operate.”

In addition to immigration crackdowns, recent violent conflicts with Iran and Venezuela as well as strained relationships with European allies could spill over at World Cup events. DHS confirmed they will be present at all US host cities, but insisted that its focus will not be on immigration.

Fans and event workers have still expressed concerns and threats of boycotts loom.

On May 31, Bank of America Stadium will host the Allstate Continental Clásico, considered a sendoff game for the US National Men’s Team, which will play Senegal before preparing for the Group Stage of the World Cup.

In the lead-up to that match, Action NC has joined a coalition of community organizations such as Carolina Migrant Network to call on local law enforcement to commit to not collaborating with immigration agents. They are also requesting that local government officials enact policies to create immigration enforcement-free zones.

“The presence of ICE and CBP agents at the May 31 game could have a negative impact on predicted gains for our city,” read a release from the coalition. “As 2025 showed us, ICE and CBP presence in our community led to civil and human rights violations. According to DHS’s own statistics, over 66% of individuals arrested during Operation Charlotte’s Web had no violent criminal record.”

The group cited a recent travel advisory released by more than 120 civil society groups warning that 2026 World Cup attendees “could be at risk of serious rights violations as the Trump administration doubles down on its draconian immigration and anti-human rights agenda.”

The travel advisory states that, in the absence of meaningful action from FIFA, host cities or the Trump administration, people traveling to the United States or domestically could be at risk of arbitrary denial of entry and risk of arrest, detention and/or deportation; expanded restrictions and limitation on travel and entry to the US; invasive social media screening and searches of electronic devices; violent and unconstitutional immigration enforcement, including racial profiling; suppression of speech and protest amidst increased surveillance; and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment at the hands of ICE.

“Sports are one of the few places left that people can gather to find shared identity outside of home and work,” read a statement from the Charlotte Metro Democratic Socialists of America, one of the groups joining Action NC in calling for action from local leaders.

“Fans worldwide fight to keep their fellow fans safe and dignified inside and outside of the stadium. Everyone should be able to attend a game without fear that they won’t make it home. We want everyone to be able to keep their eye on the ball, not looking over their shoulder.”