Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota's largest city and economic centre, is one of sixteen US host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. US Bank Stadium in the city's downtown hosts four group-stage matches.

Minneapolis became a focal point of World Cup safety concerns after Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation launched in December 2025, resulted in the deaths of Renée Good (7 January) and Alex Pretti (24 January 2026) at the hands of ICE and CBP officers. The city operates as a sanctuary jurisdiction, creating direct friction with federal enforcement operations.

France issued an official travel advisory explicitly warning citizens to avoid Minneapolis city centre — the first advisory to name a 2026 World Cup host city. Minnesota and Hennepin County sued the Trump administration for withholding evidence from the investigation into the Pretti killing. The city is absent from every published host-committee human rights plan, placing it among the twelve deficient cities identified by Human Rights Watch.