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German soccer team Werder Bremen canceled its planned trip to Minnesota, citing unrest caused by recent actions by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), reports said.
The Bundesliga club were expected to visit Minnesota and Michigan in May to play exhibition games, according to the BBC.
“Playing in a city where there is unrest and people have been shot, it does not fit with our values here at Werder Bremen,” said Christoph Pieper, the club’s head of communications. told Politico. “Furthermore, it was unclear to us which players could enter the United States due to the stricter entry requirements.”
“We as a club have clear values,” Pieper reportedly added on Friday. “Our club stands for an open, pluralistic and united society. We are committed to ensuring that all people – regardless of their origin, skin colour, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability – are naturally included and have a permanent place in our society.”
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Justin Njinmah of Werder Bremen controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between Werder Bremen and FC Bayern Munich on February 14, 2026 in Bremen, Germany. (Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Also a spokesman for the club told Reuters, “It is correct that we canceled a planned trip to Minnesota in the United States,” and “There were sporting, financial and political reasons for this.”
President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced last week that the administration is winding down Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.
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Federal agents fire pepper spray at protesters outside an ICE facility during a demonstration against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 11, 2026. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The city has seen frequent anti-ICE demonstrations surrounding the shootings of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent and Alex Pretti by the US Border Patrol.
Werder Bremen, meanwhile, have been trying to stave off relegation from the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football.
Werder Bremen fans are shown before a match on February 14, 2026. (Fabian Bimmer/Reuters)
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As of Saturday, the club is in 16th place, one point behind Wolfsburg – and guaranteed safety.
