With the United States set to host the 2026 World Cup, a video out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is drawing attention for a very different reason: showing a man ripping apart an Iraqi soccer fan’s banner and telling them, “Don’t come to America.”
The video, posted on Instagram, shows a group of Iraqi sports fans standing in an airport holding a banner with Arabic and Spanish writing. The fans were there to support Iraq during their World Cup qualifier against Bolivia, which resulted in a 2-1 upset victory earlier that day.
You can view a clip from the winning game here:
🚨🇮🇶 OFFICIAL: IRAQ DEFEATS BOLIVIA 2-1 IN MONTERREY AND THEY RETURN TO THE WORLD CUP AFTER 40 LONG YEARS!
Congratulations to the Iraqi people! ❤️🏆🤝🏼
pic.twitter.com/YYC1IC6r8A
— All Fútbol MX 🇲🇽 (@AllFutbolMX) April 1, 2026
The group is seen waving their arms, singing, and chanting before an unidentified man approaches, appearing irritated and asking them to stop.
He then moves in and rips down their banner and repeatedly shouts, “You’re in America,” before adding, “Don’t come to America.”
The man in the orange jacket shouted at the group:
“You don’t come to America and do that.”
The scene quickly becomes chaotic, with shouting on both sides. At times, the phone recording the incident is turned facedown. The man, dressed in a bright orange jacket, is eventually led away after a heated exchange. The person filming calls him “racist” and says they are American, adding that he did not have to throw the flag on the ground.
The Iraq supporters can be heard responding with phrases like “It’s a game,” and “It’s a football game, sir,” while another adds, “This is not right.” Expletives are also heard throughout the exchange.
The clip was shared on Instagram by Iraqi sports commentator @hussein_pepe96 and has been viewed more than 275,000 times.
The Instagram caption describing the incident reads:
“The moment Iraqi fans were attacked by a petty person while they were chanting Iraq's name at Dallas Airport.”
According to a social media user on X, the incident took place at Gate D12 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Since surfacing, the video has been widely reshared across platforms, including by the @LongTimeHistory account, where it has amassed more than 1.5 million views.
You can watch the video here:
MAGA man looking to call ICE at the airport—on Iraqi soccer fans traveling for the World Cup.
He runs into crowd and tears up the homemade banner that fans were holding—written in Arabic and Spanish.
"You're in America!" he yells.
"You don't come to America and do that!"… pic.twitter.com/IoQyYwYmzx
— LongTime🤓FirstTime👨💻 (@LongTimeHistory) March 31, 2026
Reaction online has been mixed. Many expressed empathy toward the Iraqi fans, while others scrutinized the confrontation and the man involved. Some also pointed to the incident as a reflection of broader concerns about the United States hosting the World Cup.
You can view the reactions here:
The 2026 World Cup will take place amid ongoing global and domestic tensions, including conflict abroad and continued debates around immigration in the United States. The expanded tournament will feature 48 teams and more than 100 matches, beginning in Mexico on June 11 and concluding with the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
As the U.S. prepares to host a global audience, the video from Dallas is fueling concerns about racism and the treatment of international visitors, especially as federal immigration enforcement, including ICE at airports, remains part of the security landscape.








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