FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the organisation’s handling of visa issues and ticket prices ahead of the 2026 World Cup, saying FIFA was working to resolve challenges but could not overrule decisions made by national governments.
Speaking on Wednesday, a day before the tournament opener between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, Infantino addressed concerns surrounding Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the United States despite holding a valid visa.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino told a press conference.
“We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We are a sports organisation.”
The case has drawn scrutiny over immigration procedures ahead of the June 11-July 19 tournament after US authorities said Artan was refused entry because of links to “suspected members of terror organizations”.
Infantino said FIFA was continuing efforts to address outstanding issues but stressed that immigration decisions remained the responsibility of national authorities.
“We always try to find solutions,” he said. “Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.”
Asked whether visa-related controversies had made him regret selecting the United States as one of the host nations, Infantino dismissed the suggestion.
“There are issues; it’s normal for an event of this magnitude,” he said. “Some come from the United States, some from Canada, some from Mexico. We deal with all of them.”
The FIFA president also pointed to Iran’s participation in the tournament as an example of the organisation’s efforts to manage difficult political circumstances.
“People were saying Iran couldn’t come to the World Cup,” Infantino said. “I promised them they will come.”
He added that football had the power to bring people together despite political differences.
“When Iran plays, the stadium will be full and I hope there will be a positive atmosphere because this is football,” he said. “We want to unite the world.”
Infantino also defended FIFA’s ticket pricing after criticism from supporters who argued that attending matches had become too expensive.
FIFA has sold more than 6 million tickets for the expanded 48-team tournament, with demand exceeding expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”, according to Infantino.
“The starting price at $60 is the lowest entry price of any of the American sports in the playoff phases,” Infantino said.
“If you sell it at a lower price point, it would have gone on secondary markets at much higher prices. Every dollar that comes in goes back to the development of football.”
The World Cup begins on Thursday at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which becomes the first stadium to host matches at three men’s World Cups. Infantino predicted one of the most competitive tournaments in the competition’s history, citing factors such as altitude, climate, travel demands and the expanded format before declaring: “Let the celebration begin.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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