German soccer club cancels planned U.S. trip amid immigration concerns
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A German soccer club says it’s canceling a planned trip to the U.S. in May — including a friendly match in Minnesota — in part due to concerns about U.S. immigration policies.
Officials with Werder Bremen told the BBC that they weren’t sure which players would be allowed to enter the U.S. because of stricter regulations. And referring to the federal immigration operation in Minnesota, the team said playing “where there is unrest and people have been shot does not fit with our values.”
The team has been struggling in Germany’s Bundesliga — currently 16th out of 18 teams in the standings, with just four wins in 22 games. Team officials told the BBC that those struggles were also a factor in the decision to cancel the planned trip, along with financial concerns.
Werder Bremen had not announced specific plans for the trip, including who they planned to play in Minnesota. Minnesota United has previously hosted German teams for friendly matches, including Holstein Kiel last summer.
National soccer teams from around the world will be in the U.S., Canada and Mexico this summer for the FIFA World Cup.
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