Liputan6.com, Jakarta - FIFA President Gianni Infantino called for patience amid growing concerns about visa issues affecting participants and fans of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
The statement, said on June 10, 2026, in Mexico City, ahead of the tournament's opening ceremony, highlighted the immigration challenges.
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One incident that drew attention was the visa denial for Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan.
Artan, who was supposed to be his country's first referee at the World Cup, was denied entry at Miami International Airport due to "issues related to background checks" or "suspected links to terrorist organizations" by US authorities.
Infantino called the situation "unfortunate" and stated that FIFA was working behind the scenes to find a solution, emphasized that FIFA has limits on how it can influence government immigration decisions.
“We try always to find solutions – always,” Infantino said at a news conference in Mexico City.
“But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces and I don’t know what. We are a sports organisation; we try to do our best with the means that we have.”
Limits on FIFA's Authority and Efforts
As a sports organization, FIFA strives to do its best with the resources available to it, but ultimately must respect the decisions made by the US administration.
Infantino advised the public to remain "chill and relaxed" regarding the visa issue and to trust that FIFA is continuing its efforts to find a solution.
Infantino acknowledged that problems are "normal for an event of this magnitude."
“Sometimes, to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect in terms of finding a solution,” he said.
Multiple Visa Denials
In addition to the referee Artan case, the Iranian Football Federation reported that 15 of its officials were barred from entering the US, and the Iranian team was only permitted to enter the US for a limited period.
Iranian and Haitian nationals were also reportedly barred from attending the tournament as fans.
Another report stated that more than 40 members of the Moroccan football team's supporters' association were denied visas, despite having tickets and hotel reservations.
When asked about the status of the Iranian team, which has moved its training to Mexico and will be traveling back and forth to matches in the US and then flying back to Tijuana, Infantino clarified that he was not saying FIFA was not active in helping tournament participants.
“It has been successful to bring Iran to play in America, I don’t know who would’ve managed to do that … we don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth, and we try our best.”
FIFA Commitment and Policy Background
Infantino defended his close relationship with President Trump, stating that Trump's involvement was crucial to the World Cup being held in the United States.
Previously, in November 2025, the US Department of State announced the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) for 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket holders.
In April 2026, Infantino also assured travelers that all teams, players, officials, and even fans would be able to come to the US.
FIFA, he continued, was in constant discussions with the governments of the three host countries—the US, Canada, and Mexico—to facilitate the entry of fans.
Even earlier, in August 2025, Infantino stated that "everyone will be welcome" in all three countries, and that the immigration process would be "smooth."