FIFA President Gianni Infantino has urged people to 'chill' and trust the organisation's efforts to resolve visa issues that have marred the build-up to the 2026 World Cup. The controversy erupted after Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States earlier this week, with FIFA later confirming he would play no part in the tournament.
Infantino's Response to Visa Chaos
Speaking on the eve of the opening game in Mexico City, Infantino described the incident as 'unfortunate' but stressed that FIFA does not have absolute control over border decisions. 'We don't control everything. We tried to discuss, we speak. Sometimes it's good as well just to chill, relax,' he said. He added that 'screaming and shouting' is counterproductive and that FIFA is not 'the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces.'
When pressed by the BBC on his 'chill' comment, Infantino drew a comparison to a hypothetical future Women's World Cup in the UK. 'Would you find it normal that FIFA would dictate to the British Government who to let in the country? I don't know, maybe you find it normal. Our world is a very aggressive world and security goes above everything. You need to respect the decisions.' He clarified that 'chill' does not mean inaction but rather trust in FIFA's efforts.
Defence of Ticket Pricing
Infantino also addressed ticket prices, defending the entry fee of 60 US dollars (£45) for 130,000 out of 6.5 million tickets on sale. He argued that this compares favourably with American sports play-off prices. 'If we were like everyone else in football is now, selling our TV rights on pay TV like everyone else, then billions of people wouldn't have access,' he said. He explained that FIFA must balance revenue generation with accessibility, noting that free tickets would fuel black markets.
He expressed confidence in the face of legal challenges to FIFA's pricing strategy, stating that the organisation had sought extensive legal advice before going to market. 'It is my statutory responsibility to generate the income which allows FIFA to invest in all of these (211 member) countries,' Infantino added.
Iran's Participation
Infantino also addressed negative headlines surrounding Iran, where some federation officials were denied US visas and the federation claimed FIFA had revoked ticket allocations. He hailed FIFA's role in securing Iran's participation in the finals, which had seemed unlikely after US and Israeli bombing of Iran in February and Iranian retaliation against US bases. 'I don't know who else would have been able to ensure (their participation) in these circumstances,' he said.
Recalling a visit to watch Iran play in Turkey in March, Infantino promised: 'I promised them they would come and if I had to go with a bus to Tehran, I would do that.'
