MEXICO CITY — On the eve of the World Cup kickoff, FIFA President Gianni Infantino called for patience in the face of a series of crises that threaten to overshadow the start of the tournament, led by the case of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the United States.
The tournament kicks off Thursday when Mexico faces South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium. Matches in Mexico, the United States and Canada will follow during a tournament spanning 38 days and three countries. The run-up to the global spectacle has been marked by controversy, including the U.S. denial of participant and fan visas and high ticket prices that have triggered attorney general inquiries in the United States.
Artan, one of the 52 referees selected by FIFA for the World Cup, was unable to enter the United States due to “issues related to background checks” and will not be able to participate in the tournament. The Somali, who had been named Confederation of African Football Referee of the Year in 2025, became the first referee from his country to be appointed to call a World Cup match, but he was forced to return to Istanbul after being denied entry at Miami International Airport.
“What happened to the referee from Somalia is unfortunate, but we can’t control everything. Sometimes you just have to relax. We’re trying to find a solution,” Infantino said at a news conference on Wednesday in Mexico City.
“We’re not the kings of the world. We want to unite the world,” Infantino added, defending ticket prices, his relationship with President Trump and noting that there were decisions by the U.S. administration that had to be respected.
“When I say to relax, I don’t mean to relax and do nothing. I’m telling you to trust us; there are things we’re working on behind the scenes. There are things they tell us, and there are other things they don’t. Sometimes we find solutions, other times we don’t,” Infantino said. “We don’t live on the moon. We live on planet Earth, and we try to do our best.”
Infantino has promoted inclusivity and unity, but the Iranian Football Federation reported that 15 of its officials were barred from entry into the U.S., and the Iranian team, based in Tijuana, will only be allowed to enter U.S. territory for a limited period of time. Iran will play two matches at SoFi Stadium — on Monday against New Zealand and on June 21 against Belgium.
Citizens of Iran and Haiti are also barred from attending the tournament as fans. The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) also reported that journalists from Iran and various African nations did not receive visas or were granted only restricted access, blocking them from covering matches in Canada or Mexico and returning to the U.S.
“The reality is that every country has a government,” said Infantino. “It’s not easy when you have 300,000 accredited people to process. “Our world is very aggressive; security is more important than anything.”
Infantino defended his close relationship with President Trump.
“Without his involvement, it would not have been possible to host the World Cup in the United States,” he stated. “He immediately understood the magnitude of the World Cup and instructed his administration to help. We’re talking about the most powerful country in the world, and there are things that must be taken into account.”
In addition to immigration controversies, there is discontent over ticket prices. Critics slammed the most expensive tickets in World Cup history and dynamic pricing, which adjusts prices according to demand.
According to Infantino, ticket prices were set based on various market studies and taking the U.S. ticket resale market into account.
“If we had sold them at a lower price, they would have gone to secondary markets at much higher prices. And where would that money have gone? Not to soccer,” argued Infantino, who said the profits will be invested in the growth of soccer in countries where “no one wants to invest.”
Infantino closed his opening statement to a large group of journalists by urging people to feel free to attack him but also promote peace and soccer, which he argued has the potential to unite people and solve problems.
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