'My brother hid in a rice sack' - The refugee stars at the World Cup

June 18, 2026

The 2026 World Cup features numerous players with refugee backgrounds, including Germany's Antonio Rudiger and Canada's Alphonso Davies, whose families fled civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia respectively. These athletes are partnering with the UN Refugee Agency to advocate for displaced people worldwide, highlighting how refuge and opportunity enabled them to achieve success. However, their campaign comes amid shifting global attitudes toward refugees, particularly the Trump administration's dramatic reduction of US refugee admissions from over 100,000 annually to just 7,500, with recent acceptances heavily favoring white South Africans.

Who is affected

Antonio Rudiger and his five siblings, whose family fled Sierra Leone's civil war
Alphonso Davies, whose family fled Liberia's civil war through a Ghanaian refugee camp
Australian players Nestory Irankunda, Mohamed Toure, and Awer Mabil (born or raised in African refugee camps)
An estimated 48.8 million displaced children worldwide
Approximately 3.7 million refugees previously admitted to the US through USRAP, including 504,000 Africans
Recent refugees from African nations, particularly those from Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan who had high acceptance rates under Biden
White South Africans now receiving priority under Trump administration policies
Only 6,069 refugees admitted to the US between October and April (compared to 100,034 in Biden's final year)

What action is being taken

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is running a campaign featuring a symbolic "game-changing team" of refugee players
Rudiger, Davies, and other players are "raising their voice" in support of refugees during the World Cup
Australia's professional footballers' association created a video showcasing players' diverse origins and family heritage
The Trump administration is limiting refugee admissions and giving priority to white South Africans
Global Refuge and other advocacy organizations are opposing the refugee admission restrictions

Why it matters

The World Cup provides a global platform to demonstrate what refugees can achieve when given safety and opportunity, directly countering increasingly restrictive refugee policies. The success of players like Rudiger and Davies illustrates the potential contributions refugees can make to their adoptive countries when welcomed and supported. The stark contradiction between celebrating refugee athletes while simultaneously shutting doors to the world's most vulnerable populations highlights a troubling shift in global attitudes. The dramatic reduction in US refugee admissions—from over 100,000 to 7,500, with controversial prioritization of white South Africans—represents a historic low that advocacy groups warn will deny opportunities to millions of displaced children and families fleeing war and persecution.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC