"On June 11, when the ball starts rolling, somehow everybody forgets about everything else and starts worrying about the game." That's FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani's answer to every concern swirling around the 2026 World Cup. Reassuring, if you can get there.
Speaking at the Business of Soccer conference in Atlanta on March 25, the CONCACAF president acknowledged the noise — Trump's immigration crackdown, gang violence in Mexico, the ongoing war in the Middle East — and essentially filed it all under "business as usual." His reference point? Argentina 1978, hosted by a military dictatorship responsible for the deaths or disappearances of around 30,000 people. The argument being: we've survived worse, the tournament survived worse, and it turned out fine.
There's something both honest and deeply uncomfortable about that logic.
Iran's situation is not just noise
The clearest sign that this World Cup's problems aren't purely hypothetical is Iran. Their federation is actively in discussions with FIFA about shifting their group stage matches from the United States to Mexico, following Trump's public warning that Iranian players would be at risk on US soil. That's not geopolitical background noise — that's a participating nation unable to confidently send its players to the host country.
Meanwhile, Iran's squad is preparing for upcoming friendlies against Nigeria (March 27) and Costa Rica (March 31) in Belek, Turkey — originally scheduled for Jordan before the war forced the change. Media access at training was tightly restricted. No player or coach interviews. The team, per a federation spokesperson, wants zero distractions ahead of matches they consider critical World Cup preparation.
That is a squad operating under genuine pressure, not manufactured headlines.
What it means for the tournament's image — and the betting picture
Montagliani's broader point isn't wrong. World Cups tend to absorb controversy once they begin; the football takes over. But the path to kick-off matters. Travelling fans from multiple countries have already reported visa difficulties and fears of being flagged by US immigration agents. Those aren't abstract concerns — they affect attendance, atmosphere, and how the tournament is received globally.
- Iran's matches may be relocated to Mexico, which would be an extraordinary logistical and diplomatic concession before a single competitive ball is kicked
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino is under scrutiny for his proximity to Trump, including attending a Gaza peace summit and awarding the US president a newly created FIFA Peace Prize at December's World Cup draw
- Fan visa issues could suppress attendance at multiple venues, particularly affecting markets in Asia and the Middle East
For anyone tracking Group D odds or Iran's outright chances, the uncertainty around their match locations adds a layer that most tournaments simply don't have. Home crowd dynamics shift. Logistics shift. Player focus shifts.
Montagliani's closing line — "once the ball starts rolling, it's all about football" — might well be true. But getting the ball rolling cleanly is proving harder than FIFA would like to admit.
