German soccer club Werder Bremen has canceled a planned summer tour to Minneapolis and Detroit, saying the unrest surrounding President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota doesn’t align with the club’s values.
“Playing in a city where there’s unrest and people have been shot, that does not fit with our values here at Werder Bremen,” club communications head Christoph Pieper said in a statement to Politico.
“Furthermore, it was unclear for us which players could be able to enter the United States due to the stricter entry requirements,” he added.
The four-time German champion ― ranked third in the all-time Bundesliga results ― has squad members from Europe, Japan, Argentina and Nigeria.
“We as a club, we have clear values,“ Pieper said. “Our club stands for an open, pluralistic and united society. We are committed to ensuring that all people — regardless of their origin, skin colour, religion, ****** orientation, gender identity, age or disability — are naturally included and have a firm place in our community.”
News: U.S. Secret Service Shot And Killed Armed Man Who Entered The Secure Perimeter Of Mar-a-Lago
In 2024, the club ditched the Elon Musk-owned X for Bluesky, citing the rise in “hate speech, hatred towards minorities, right-wing extremist posts and conspiracy theories” on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The U.S. will co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada.
Todd Lyons, the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, earlier this month said ICE would be “a key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup.”