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Werder Bremen Cancels U.S. Trip, Citing Minneapolis Unrest and Entry-Rule Uncertainty

The club casts the move as a values-based response to ICE-related shootings in Minneapolis despite the federal surge’s formal wind-down.

Overview

  • Werder Bremen confirmed it scrapped a planned May preseason visit that was to include stops in Minnesota and Detroit.
  • Head of communications Christoph Pieper said playing in a city where unrest followed the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti does not align with the club’s values.
  • The club cited uncertainty over tighter U.S. entry requirements, including reviews of players’ social-media histories, which made squad travel unclear.
  • Bremen also referenced sporting and financial considerations as they sit 16th in the Bundesliga, complicating scheduling and increasing economic risk.
  • The cancellation follows the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge that sent thousands of agents to Minneapolis, with border czar Tom Homan later announcing the surge would conclude.