Artists from ten of the eleven US host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have created posters for the 'No Ice in the Cup' initiative, launched on May 6 by the Horizons Project. The campaign aims to protest the potential presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at World Cup matches, using art to mobilize public opposition and protect vulnerable immigrant communities. Each poster incorporates locally relevant themes, with designs by artists including Chris Stewart (Los Angeles), Hana Natsuhara (Seattle), Johann C. Muñoz-Tapasco (Miami), and Cristy Road Carrera (New York). The posters are free to download and remix from the campaign's website.
This initiative matters because it leverages the global platform of the World Cup to highlight widespread public concern over ICE's conduct, including violent raids and detentions that have sparked national outrage and a travel warning from over 120 civil society groups. A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans oppose ICE agents at stadiums, and hotel bookings in host cities are reportedly lower due to fears of detainment. By centering art as a tool for activism, the campaign underscores the intersection of sports, immigration policy, and community empowerment, aiming to protect the World Cup as a space of joy and inclusion for immigrant communities.