Zürcher Nachrichten - Werder Bremen cancel US tour citing 'political reasons'

Bremen were in the process of planning a summer tour which was set to take place in May, with friendlies in Minneapolis and Detroit, before the start of the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.

But the club will no longer make the trip, saying that doing so would not be consistent with the club's values.

Thousands of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been deployed to Minneapolis in recent weeks as part of an immigration crackdown by US President Donald Trump.

Two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were both shot dead in January during mass protests against ICE's presence in the city.

Asked by AFP about the planned tour, the spokesperson confirmed that it was cancelled for "sporting, economic and political reasons" and added: "Playing in a city where there is unrest and people have been shot does not fit with our values."

Another element to consider was new entry requirements into the US, which include a review of social media activity.

"It was unclear to us which players would be able to enter the USA at all due to the stricter entry requirements," the spokesperson said.

Bremen currently sit 16th, in the relegation playoff spot, with the spokesperson saying that the potential for relegation added to the difficulty of planning the trip, along with creating "certain economic risks".

European clubs regularly undertake off-season tours to gain match practice and build their international profile, with the United States a common destination.

Four-time German champions who last won the Bundesliga in 2004, Bremen are one of the country's more political clubs and regularly speak out on social issues.

In 2024, Bremen were one of a handful of German clubs to leave X, formerly known as Twitter, saying that the platform had become a forum for "hate speech, hatred against minorities, far-right posts, and conspiracy theories" under owner Elon Musk.

On Friday, Bremen coach Daniel Thioune spoke out on the Vinicius Junior racism controversy.

The Brazil international accused Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him during Real Madrid's 1-0 win in Lisbon on Tuesday, telling the referee that he had been called a "monkey" during a confrontation with the Argentine.

Thioune, the first German-born Black manager in professional football in the country, said racism has "no place in football and should not have a place anywhere in society".

A.Ferraro--NZN