The World Cup kicks off today — and there’s finally some football to talk about instead of the politics, visa drama, and denied entries that have overshadowed the build-up to this sprawling tournament across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
For days, immigration issues have dominated headlines. Players, officials, teams, and fans from several countries faced delays, denials, strict entry restrictions, and intense security checks. Some supporters lost money after being blocked from traveling at the last minute.
Even CAF’s 2025 Referee of the Year, Omar Abdulkadir Artan from Somalia, was denied a U.S. visa despite holding a diplomatic passport. He was sent back and will miss the tournament.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at a Mexico City press conference. “But again, we don’t control everything. We try, we’ll discuss, we’ll speak… Maybe sometimes it’s good to just chill, relax.”
South Africa’s team arrival was delayed by visa issues. Senegal’s staff reported intrusive searches that sparked racism allegations. Uzbekistan’s squad was screened with bomb-sniffing dogs — footage that went viral.
Infantino insisted FIFA isn’t inactive: “We try always to find solutions — always. But we’re not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We’re a sports organization; we do our best with the means we have.”
On Iran’s team shuttling between Mexico and the U.S., he added: “I don’t mean chill and do nothing. I mean trust that we’re working behind the scenes… It’s been successful to bring Iran to play in America. I don’t know who else would’ve managed that. We don’t live on the moon — we live on planet Earth, and we try our best.”
Major incidents so far:
- Embolo, Switzerland: Visa under review. Joined his team days late.
- Aymen Hussein, Iraq: Held for questioning nearly 7 hours on U.S. entry.
- Iran: Spent days on visa procedures at the U.S. Consulate in Türkiye. Only allowed entry on match days. 15 delegation members denied visas.
- Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Somalia: CAF Best African Referee 2025, denied entry despite diplomatic passport. Won’t officiate.
- South Africa: Team arrival delayed as part of the delegation missed visas.
- Senegal staff: Forced to remove shoes, lengthy searches. Racism claims followed.
- Uzbekistan: Searched by bomb-sniffing dogs. Video spread globally.
- Scottish fans: ESTA authorizations revoked days before departure, despite visa-free eligibility.
- Supporters worldwide: Many had tickets + accommodation booked but visas rejected, leaving them out of pocket.
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