FIFA president Gianni Infantino sought to defuse mounting concerns over visa issues ahead of the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, urging critics to “chill, relax” while insisting the governing body had no power to override the immigration decisions of host nations.
Speaking at his first press conference in three years, on the eve of the tournament opener between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa, Infantino addressed the case of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry to the United States despite holding a valid visa. US authorities said Artan was barred due to alleged links to suspected members of terror organisations.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino said. “We try, we’ll discuss, we’ll see. Maybe sometimes it’s good as well to chill, relax. We work on everything, we try to resolve everything. We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We are a sports organisation.”
The FIFA president said the governing body was continuing to work behind the scenes on outstanding cases but cautioned against a confrontational approach. “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 the visa controversies had left him regretting the choice of the United States as a host nation, Infantino was unequivocal. “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.”
Infantino also pointed to Iran’s participation in the tournament as evidence of FIFA’s ability to navigate complex geopolitical circumstances. “People were saying Iran couldn’t come to the World Cup,” he said. “I promised them they will come.” He argued that ensuring Iran’s inclusion despite international tensions was a demonstration of football’s power to bring people together.
The Swiss-Italian executive repeatedly returned to a theme of global unity, saying the World Cup could offer a meaningful distraction at a time of widespread conflict and uncertainty. “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 pushed back against criticism of FIFA’s ticket pricing, which some supporters have argued has made attending matches unaffordable. He noted that FIFA had sold more than six million tickets for the expanded 48-team tournament, with demand exceeding expectations by “a factor of 10 or more”.
“The starting price at $60 is the lowest entry price of any of the American sports in the playoff phases,” he 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 tournament kicks off on Thursday at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which will become the first stadium to host matches at three men’s World Cups. The competition runs from 11 June to 19 July. Infantino predicted an exceptionally competitive edition, citing altitude, climate, travel distances and the expanded format as factors that would add unpredictability throughout.
“Let the celebration begin,” he said.
