World Cup 2026: Does referee case show Fifa has lost control of its tournament?
In the past, World Cup host countries tended to give FIFA what it wanted; This includes easy access for officials and fans.
It was the same for two of the most controversial World Cups in Russia and Qatar.
As a matter of fact, Russia rolled out the red carpet in a positive way by eliminating the need for a visa in 2018.
Fans needed a valid passport and personal card known as a ‘Fan ID’ to prove they were traveling for football.
In Qatar, fans needed a Hayya card, which served a dual purpose as a pre-scanned travel pass and a pass to the games.
This is not the case in the United States; It is claimed that the barriers constantly prevented fans from making the trip.
“You need to welcome fans from all over the world,” Thomas Concannon, who leads the FSA’s England supporters group, told BBC Sport in April.
“And I think fans couldn’t be less welcome at this stage.”
In fact, Trump hasn’t even taken over the tournament from another administration. It was approved and supported by his presidency, with the intention of proposing it within a few months of his inauguration in 2017.
What has changed is the extent of pressure on immigrants.
Trump is happy to take credit for the glitz and glamor of the World Cup, but that won’t distract from that core purpose.
Artan isn’t the only one who can’t enter the United States. Supporters of Iraq, which is not on the banned list, explained how they gave up entering the country.
Meanwhile, Iran said on Tuesday that its ticket allocation for the group stage had been canceled due to a decision taken by US officials.
Infantino’s words ring hollow. It’s clear that the Trump administration prioritizes immigration above all else, including this World Cup.
The next test will be on Sunday, when Iran will fly to the United States for the first time.
Iran accused the United States of not granting visas to 15 “integral” members working in the background.
The team is allowed to enter and exit the country from Tijuana, Mexico, within 24 hours for each game, but this has not yet been tested.
If a team is unable to attend its own game, that would be an unprecedented change.
“We have never seen so many World Cup coaches, team operations, fans and even senior executives subject to so much interrogation and exclusion across FIFA member associations,” Fare’s Powar added.
“There is so much disruption that one has to ask who is running the World Cup: Fifa or the US government with its racist immigration policies?”
Since FIFA cannot get all of its referees into the country, it appears that the US government is in control.
