Josh Shapiro says Trump’s policies are deterring tourists from coming to Philly for 2026 World Cup
Gov. Josh Shapiro said Donald Trump's immigration policies will discourage foreign visitors from attending 2026 events and that tariffs will make participating more expensive.
Philadelphia is expecting a big year for tourism in 2026. America’s 250th birthday. World Cup games. The Major League Baseball All-Star game.
But Gov. Josh Shapiro accused President Donald Trump on Monday of discouraging international tourists from visiting the country.
Shapiro told reporters at an event in Philadelphia that people are scared to travel because of the current immigration enforcement climate of mass detentions and deportations.
“I think because of the Trump administration’s conduct on immigration, we’ve already seen tourism dip, not just in Philadelphia, but all across this country,” Shapiro said. “I think their policies are making it so people in other countries are afraid to come here or don’t want to come here.”
White House spokesperson Kush Desai said Shapiro “should check his facts.”
“Foreign visitors to the United States have spent nearly $127 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods in the first six months of 2025 — a record high thanks to President Trump’s efforts to Make America Beautiful & Safe Again for Americans and foreign visitors alike,” Desai said.
However, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data show the number of non-U.S. citizens being processed at Philadelphia International Airport as their first point of U.S. entry was down about 3.6% for the first eight months of the year as compared with 2024.
Shapiro also said Trump’s policies would hinder local residents from attending 2026 events.
He said that Trump’s tariffs and broader economic policies are raising prices for food and activities, which will make it harder for “the average family” to go to a big game in 2026 or partake in related activities surrounding them.
“It makes it harder for us to have a 2026 where everybody can participate, because simply the costs have gone up too much,” he added.
Shapiro, who is running for reelection in 2026, said his administration will “do everything we can at the state level to subsidize the cost around these special USA 250 events, so more and more Pennsylvanians can participate.”
“But make no mistake, Donald Trump is making it harder for Pennsylvania families,” he added, building on previous criticism of Trump’s trade policies.
Shapiro on Monday also reiterated his criticism of the president’s deployment — and planned deployment — of National Guard troops to police American cities and that he is prepared if the president tries to do the same without his consent in the Commonwealth.
“I think what the president is doing injects chaos in communities and I can tell you that we are prepared should he decide to try that here in Philly,” he added.
The White House went after Shapiro last week as a “wannabe Presidential candidate” who is “attacking the President’s highly successful operations to drive down violent crime.”
Data reporter Joe Yerardi contributed to this article.