Background

The Athletic is a subscription sports journalism outlet, owned by the New York Times Company, producing long-form reporting on professional sport across football, American sports, and global competitions. Founded in 2016 and acquired by the New York Times in 2022, it employs hundreds of specialist reporters and is the dominant subscription-only editorial voice in English-language sports journalism.

In the week of 15 April 2026 The Athletic reported that senior FIFA executives had pressed Gianni Infantino to personally ask Donald Trump for a 39-day moratorium on ICE operations across all host cities for the duration of the 2026 World Cup. The report is the primary public account of the gap between FIFA's internal anxiety about immigration enforcement and Infantino's public silence. Infantino's 6 May Vancouver Congress press conference cited 500 million ticket applications without addressing the moratorium question. As the tournament opened in June 2026, no ICE moratorium had been publicly requested.

The Athletic has continued reporting on the tournament's immigration dimension, with bylines covering squad injuries, team selections, and the operational realities of a 48-team tournament across three countries. Its reporting is cited directly in Lowdown's 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage as a primary source for squad management and governance developments.

Common Questions

What did The Athletic report about FIFA and the ICE moratorium?

The Athletic reported in the week of 15 April 2026 that senior FIFA executives pressed Gianni Infantino to personally ask President Trump for a 39-day moratorium on ICE operations across all 16 World Cup host cities for the tournament duration — an ask that expanded from venue perimeters to entire cities.Source: The Athletic

What is The Athletic sports publication?

The Athletic is a subscription sports journalism outlet known for investigative reporting and in-depth sports coverage. In 2026 it broke the story of FIFA executives pressing Gianni Infantino to seek a Trump ICE moratorium across all World Cup host cities.Source: The Athletic

Where can I read The Athletic's 2026 World Cup coverage?

The Athletic's World Cup coverage is available via its subscription service. Its April 2026 scoop on FIFA's ICE moratorium request — and UNITE HERE's demands to FIFA regarding federal immigration enforcement and AI displacement — were among its most significant breaking stories on the tournament.Source: The Athletic

What did The Athletic report about FIFA and ICE?

The Athletic reported in April 2026 that senior FIFA executives pressed Infantino to ask Trump for a 39-day ICE moratorium across all 2026 World Cup host cities. No public moratorium request had been made as of 11 May.Source: The Athletic

What is The Athletic and who owns it?

The Athletic is a subscription sports journalism outlet owned by the New York Times Company, known for in-depth sports reporting. It has been a primary source on FIFA's internal deliberations over US immigration enforcement and the 2026 World Cup.

Has FIFA asked Trump for an ICE moratorium during the 2026 World Cup?

No public request had been made as of 11 May 2026. The Athletic reported that senior FIFA executives urged Infantino to make the ask, but Infantino made no public statement on the moratorium while continuing to insist Iran 'for sure' would be at the tournament.Source: The Athletic / Lowdown

What did The Athletic report about FIFA and ICE at the 2026 World Cup?

The Athletic reported in April 2026 that senior FIFA executives pressed Gianni Infantino to ask Donald Trump for a 39-day moratorium on ICE immigration enforcement operations across all World Cup host cities. No such request was made publicly.Source: Lowdown

Who owns The Athletic sports journalism outlet?

The Athletic is owned by the New York Times Company, which acquired it in 2022. It was founded in 2016 as a subscription-only sports journalism outlet with no advertising revenue.Source: Lowdown

Is The Athletic paywalled and how much does it cost?

The Athletic operates on a subscription model with no advertising. It is owned by the New York Times Company and is available as a standalone subscription or bundled with a New York Times subscription.Source: Lowdown

How the World Sees Them

FIFA

The Athletic's ICE moratorium reporting created public pressure FIFA had not anticipated, revealing internal discord Infantino had kept off the record.

US media landscape

The Athletic's subscription model places it outside the ad-dependent incentive structure of broadcast sports journalism; it broke the FIFA/ICE story ahead of traditional outlets.