Union of SoFi Stadium Workers Files Complaint Over FIFA World Cup Data Demands

A union representing nearly 2,000 SoFi Stadium workers filed a complaint with California's attorney general. The group claims FIFA's accreditation process for the World Cup puts members at risk of targeting by ICE.

SoFi Stadium will host eight World Cup matches this summer, including the U.S. opener against Paraguay on June 12. UNITE HERE Local 11 members say the process violates their rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Workers must provide their Social Security number, nationality, address and country of birth, according to the complaint reported by The Athletic. They also must consent to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal data, including sensitive personal data, as outlined in FIFA's Privacy Notice.

The complaint states workers must further agree to share their information with local, regional and federal government authorities or third parties for security background checks. The FBI has identified the Department of Homeland Security as a key partner in the accreditation process.

The filing calls on FIFA to publicly commit that ICE will not appear at World Cup venues during the tournament. It remains unclear what role ICE will play at the games.

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons said the agency would take a key part in tournament security.

The process has put stadium workers in an impossible bind of having to choose between their livelihood and their right to privacy under California law, the complaint states.

FIFA is now endangering the very workers inside the U.S. who make the World Cup possible, it adds. FIFA's accreditation process runs counter to California law and to its 2026 slogan that 'Football Unites the World.' Stadium workers are the backbone of the World Cup experience for fans. They proudly prepare food, serve drinks and clean the stadium.