Man who's been to every World Cup since 2006 explains why he's skipping US games despite getting tickets
Steve Schwarzbach has lived what many of us might deem the dream soccer fan life.
He has been to every World Cup since 2006, with no exceptions. South Africa, Russia, Brazil, Qatar, if there's been a World Cup - Steve's been there.
So what about this year in the US? Surely it would be a tap in for the Frankfurt based super fan?
For the first time since 2006 Steve is sitting this one out - and the reason is pretty telling.
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Despite having zero qualms about traveling to countries that get a bad rap for tourist safety, Steve has made the tough call to boycott the 2026 World Cup games taking place on US soil.
Of all the host nations he's visited over the past two decades, America is the one that's got him genuinely scared.
Speaking to CNN Travel Steve said: “In South Africa and Brazil, I felt very safe because they had so many police, army and security that I didn’t have any fears of going out."
So what's scaring Steve about the US? Two words: ICE raids.
Why are people concerned about ICE?
Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, has confirmed that the agency is 'dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event' at the World Cup, but Steve's concerns come following immigration crackdowns that led to the deaths of two Americans, Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
He continued: "You see the ICE people going around and just pulling people from the streets just because they look foreign and you don't get the feeling that anybody would protect me, you know?"
Steve is half Korean and half German, and he's worried that could make him a potential target, as he looks more Asian than German.
Steve's decision to avoid the games comes despite the fact that, as a 'verified superfan', or Participating Member Association Supporter in FIFA Speak, he had even managed to bag two tickets to the quarter final and semi-final for an eye watering $1,700.
But because these games are staged in American stadiums, he turned them down.
Is the US Government vetting social media activity?
The final straw came after watching footage of ICE raids and learning that the US Government is reportedly looking at vetting visitors' social media activity going back five years.
That was the real turning point for Steve, he decided the risk wasn't worth it and declined the card transactions.
As of March 30, The US Department of State announced expanded screening and vetting for visa applicants.
People applying for visas have been instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to 'public' or 'open'.
The announcement continues: "The Department uses all available information in visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety.
"We conduct thorough vetting of all visa applicants."
With the US co-hosting alongside Canada and Mexico, there's still plenty of football to be played outside American borders.
But for Steve, a man who went through South Africa and Brazil without batting an eyelid, would rather watch from the comfort of his sofa.
Thomas Bamford