Online Reporter
LISTENING to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and you would think the controversy surrounding the 2026 World Cup in recent days had been insignificant.
“Just, you know, chill, relax,” Infantino told a news conference at the Azteca Stadium on the eve of yesterday’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa.
After all, it is not as though one of his referees was refused entry to the United States. Or Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was questioned for several hours at a Chicago airport before being allowed into the country.
Nor that Iran have been forced to switch their base to Mexico, their fans have had all their tickets cancelled by US authorities, and members of the delegation refused visas.
Of course, those incidents did all occur, and this was Infantino’s chance to stand up for FIFA, to back Somali referee Omar Artan who had seen the pinnacle moment of his career ripped away from him. To criticise or question, if not condemn, the US government for the way the tournament has been handled before it has begun.
It did not happen.
Africa’s number one referee being turned away by immigration was just “unfortunate”.
And there was a robust defence of US President Donald Trump, with Infantino claiming a World Cup that will be largely played in the US would have been “impossible” without the 79-year-old.
Nothing to see here.
When Infantino sat down at the Azteca he knew exactly which questions would be coming his way.
How could he not?
The expulsion of Artan after an 11-hour interrogation at Miami International Airport had come just hours earlier, accused by a US official of having links to terrorists in his homeland.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino said. “But again, we don’t control everything.
“We try, we’ll discuss, we’ll speak, we’ll see. Maybe sometimes it’s good as well to just, you know, chill, relax.”
Those words will have been of little comfort to Artan, who touched down back in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Wednesday after seeing his World Cup dream die.
There were no words of support for the official, no regrets expressed. It was just “unfortunate”.
When questioned about other visa issues, which have affected fans and team delegates too, Infantino deflected attention to the 2035 Women’s World Cup – which is almost certain to be awarded to the United Kingdom.
“Would you find it normal that FIFA would dictate to the British government who to let in the country and who not to let in the country?” Infantino asked. When England hosted the World Cup in 1966, a strikingly similar situation happened.
The UK government feared the presence of communist North Korea could cause diplomatic shockwaves and it considered denying entry.
After a letter from the Football Association warned the government that the country risked losing the World Cup, concessions were made to allow them to take part.
Indonesia, due to be hosts of the 2023 Under-20 World Cup, were stripped of hosting rights after saying Israel would not be permitted entry. Yet when the United States makes similar decisions which affect competing World Cup nations, such as Iran, FIFA says they are powerless.
“Unfortunately, our world is, you know, a very aggressive world, and security goes above everything,” Infantino said.
“You need to respect the decisions which are taken, and when I say to chill, I don’t mean to chill and do nothing. — BBC Sport.
