Jackson Irvine: St Pauli Captain, Activist and Australia’s World Cup Leader

Jackson Irvine dials down World Cup protests ahead of 2026 tournament

With the U.S., Canada and Mexico set to co-host, Australia’s Jackson Irvine discusses human rights risks and why the Socceroos are prioritizing performance over protest.

Meet Jackson Irvine, the progressive St Pauli captain fighting for inclusion off the pitch and aiming to lead Australia’s midfield at the 2026 World Cup...

Australia’s Jackson Irvine is known as a midfielder, unionist and activist who champions inclusion, but when it comes to the World Cup, he may let his football do the talking.

The World Cup draws huge global attention, making it a tempting stage for protest. That’s true even though FIFA bans political, religious and personal slogans and images on team kits and equipment.

Before the last World Cup in Qatar, Australia turned heads when Irvine and 15 teammates released a video raising concerns about migrant worker conditions. They also called for the decriminalisation of same-sex relationships in the Gulf country.

Now playing in Germany, Irvine says he’s proud of that stand on Qatar. He explained that the squad spent more than six months preparing, speaking directly with migrant workers, international labour groups and human rights organisations.

“It wasn't throwing an armband on and saying, ‌you know, this is what we believe," Irvine said.

“We did our preparation, we made our statement, and then once we got to Qatar, we were able to focus on performing and it led to our best-ever finish at the World Cup.”

Four years later, the World Cup being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico is already under intense scrutiny.

Human rights groups and activists have flagged potential risks for players, fans and workers in the U.S., citing the Trump administration’s strict immigration crackdown and increased deportations.

Irvine, who co-presides over Australia’s national soccer players’ union, says the union has called on FIFA to take stronger steps to reduce the risk of human rights abuses at the tournament.

With the 2026 World Cup set for the United States, Canada and Mexico, attention on the tournament remains high four years after it was awarded.

Rights groups and activists have raised concerns about possible abuses facing athletes, supporters and workers in the U.S., linking them to the Trump administration’s tough approach on immigration and deportations.

The Australian players’ union, where Irvine serves as co-president, has asked FIFA to strengthen measures to protect against human rights violations during the event.

“The players' rightful expectation is that FIFA respects and protects the human rights of all involved in the World Cup,” Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) chief Beau Busch told Reuters in an emailed statement.

“To date ⁠we are not satisfied that the players' expectations are being met.”

FIFA hasn’t commented right away, but president Gianni Infantino has consistently said that everyone involved in the World Cup will be welcomed at the tournament.

Huge shift in the dynamic

Australia’s players still have their union’s backing to speak out on human rights issues. But Irvine thinks a repeat of the Qatar-style protest before the next World Cup is unlikely.

The Socceroos squad has changed since four years ago, and the focus this time is more squarely on football.

“I would say in the last four years, we've seen a huge shift in the dynamic of the group. We're a much younger group now,” he said.

“Especially with myself having not been really involved in the last 12 months, I haven't really had the chance to kind of have those conversations with the players and see where their feelings lie going into this tournament about the political and social aspects.”

Irvine captains Hamburg’s St Pauli, a club known for its progressive stance that matches his own values.

The players there are active in the local community and often partner with NGOs on social projects.

Irvine has helped draw attention to homelessness in Hamburg and backs a local group that provides counselling and interpreters for refugees and migrants accessing healthcare.

It’s been a year of different battles for him. He recovered from a foot injury but couldn’t prevent St Pauli from being relegated from the Bundesliga.

The boys are slowly getting back together again 👋 🛬

Jordy Bos, Jackson Irvine, Jacob Italiano and Ante Šuto are the latest to arrive at the CommBank #Socceroos #FIFAWorldCup pre-camp in Sarasota, Florida 🇦🇺🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/vKD1EBVbIR

— CommBank Socceroos (@Socceroos) May 20, 2026

He’s still a key figure for Australia. Despite speaking out on several issues, he insists his advocacy won’t distract the team at the World Cup, where they face Turkey, the United States and Paraguay in Group D.

“I'm constantly trying to find that balance. Of course I have my own individual beliefs, but I will not be in the U.S. this summer as an individual," he ⁠said.

“I'm there as a part of a team that ⁠wants to achieve success and I would never ‌do anything to distract from the performances of the team by going rogue, individually.”