The agency had previously deleted a social media post that said its officers would be “suited and booted” for the opening round this weekend of Club World Cup games.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed questions about CBP involvement during an event earlier this week promoting Saturday's opener between Inter Miami and Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
“No, I don't have any concerns about anything in the sense that we are already attentive on any security question," Infantino said. "Of course, the most important for us is to guarantee security for all fans who come to the games. And this is our priority.”
Border Patrol agents have routinely been called in to help with security for large events, including the Super Bowl. They handle things like screening cargo shipments into stadiums for hazardous materials and contribute to emergency planning.
At last year's Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium, throngs of fans breached security gates and forced the game to be delayed.
The Club World Cup opener Saturday comes amid protests in several cities over actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The Club World Cup features 32 teams from across the globe playing in 11 cities nationwide through July 13.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer