German club Werder Bremen have called off a planned tour of the United States this May, saying a combination of safety, political and logistical issues made the trip untenable. The Bundesliga side had been scheduled to play two friendly matches in Minnesota and Detroit, but announced on Friday that the visit would no longer go ahead.
The decision was driven in part by unrest in Minnesota linked to recent actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Last month, federal immigration officers operating as part of Operation Metro Surge fatally shot two American citizens — Alex Pretti and Renee Good — during enforcement operations in the Minneapolis area. Those deaths triggered widespread protests and ongoing tensions in the region.
In a statement to Reuters, a Werder Bremen spokesman made clear that holding matches in a city experiencing such upheaval “does not fit with our values.” The club also pointed to stricter U.S. entry requirements — including tighter visa controls — which raised uncertainty over which players would be eligible to travel.
On top of these political and safety concerns, the team’s struggles on the pitch influenced the choice. Werder are currently 16th in the 18-team Bundesliga standings and have not won in their past dozen league games, leaving them in a relegation battle that requires focus and resources. The club described the combination of sporting pressures and economic risks associated with a long international trip as further reasons to scrap the tour.
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