FIFA president Gianni Infantino used a press conference at the Azteca Stadium to play down the mounting controversy surrounding the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking on the eve of Thursday’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa, Infantino offered a remarkably relaxed take on a turbulent build-up to the tournament.
“Just, you know, chill, relax,” Infantino told reporters, seemingly unbothered by the serious issues that had unfolded in the days prior.
Those issues included Somali referee Omar Artan being denied entry to the United States after an 11-hour interrogation at Miami International Airport, accused by a US official of having links to terrorist organisations.
Iraq striker Aymen Hussein was also questioned for several hours at a Chicago airport before eventually being allowed to enter the country.
Iran have been forced to base themselves in Mexico, had their fans’ tickets cancelled by US authorities, and seen members of their delegation refused visas.
Infantino described what happened to Artan as simply “unfortunate”, offering no words of direct support for the official who had seen his World Cup dream extinguished and had since returned to Mogadishu.
“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino said. “But again, we don’t control everything. We try, we’ll discuss, we’ll speak, we’ll see. Maybe sometimes it’s good as well to just, you know, chill, relax.”
When pressed on broader visa issues affecting fans and team delegates, Infantino deflected attention toward the 2035 Women’s World Cup, almost certain to be awarded to the United Kingdom.
“Would you find it normal that FIFA would dictate to the British government who to let in the country and who not to let in the country?” Infantino asked reporters at the conference.
The comparison carries its own complications, given that Indonesia were stripped of hosting the 2023 U-20 World Cup after refusing to permit Israel entry, yet FIFA has described itself as powerless when the United States has imposed similar restrictions on Iran.
“Unfortunately, our world is, you know, a very aggressive world, and security goes above everything,” Infantino said, adding: “We need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces.”
Iran have been granted permission to enter the United States for their three group games, but must be based in Mexico and travel in and out of the country within 24 hours for each fixture, with their opener against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday.
Rather than framing these restrictions as a failure, Infantino presented Iran’s participation as a personal victory, saying: “I don’t know who else would have been able to ensure in these circumstances Iran could come and play.”
Infantino also dismissed growing scrutiny over ticket pricing, waving away investigations launched by the attorneys general of California, New Jersey, New York, and Texas as based on “three, not 3,000” complaints.
FIFA faces accusations of “artificially inflating prices” and “misleading fans”, but Infantino defended the structure as “accurate” for the North American market, claiming demand had been “unprecedented by a factor of 10 or more.”
Perhaps the most revealing moment came when Infantino was asked whether he had any regrets about the World Cup being held in the United States, prompting a robust defence of President Donald Trump.
“I don’t regret anything,” Infantino said. “I have a great relationship with President Trump. I’m very happy about that. Without his engagement and his involvement, I think it would have been impossible to organise a World Cup in the United States.”
For Artan, for Iranian fans, and for the thousands priced out of attending, the message from the man leading world football was a clear one: relax, and ask for nothing.
