"Chill, relax." That's Gianni Infantino's response to the visa chaos hanging over the World Cup — and it tells you everything about where FIFA stands on the issue.
Speaking at his first press conference in three years, held on the eve of the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa at the Azteca, the FIFA president addressed the case of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was barred from entering the United States despite holding a valid visa. U.S. authorities cited his alleged links to "suspected members of terror organizations." A referee. Blocked from officiating at the World Cup.
"It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia," Infantino said, before pivoting quickly to his broader point: FIFA can't override governments. "We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We are a sports organisation."
A convenient excuse, or a real limitation?
There's something to that argument — FIFA genuinely cannot compel the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to admit anyone. But awarding a tournament to a nation with known immigration restrictions, then shrugging when those restrictions bite, is its own kind of accountability gap. The decision to co-host across three countries with vastly different border policies was FIFA's. The complications that come with it belong to FIFA too.
Infantino was asked directly whether the visa controversies made him regret choosing the U.S. as a host nation. He said no. "There are issues; it's normal for an event of this magnitude."
He did point to Iran's participation as a sign FIFA can navigate geopolitics when it wants to. "People were saying Iran couldn't come to the World Cup. I promised them they will come." That's a real achievement, and worth acknowledging. But Artan still isn't here.
Six million tickets, $60 floor price, and a familiar defence
On ticket pricing — another sore point — Infantino leaned on demand figures. FIFA has sold over six million tickets for this expanded 48-team tournament, with demand exceeding expectations by "a factor of 10 or more." The entry price of $60 is, he argued, the lowest of any American sport in its playoff phase.
"If you sell it at a lower price point, it would have gone on secondary markets at much higher prices," he said. "Every dollar that comes in goes back to the development of football."
It's a defensible position economically — secondary market inflation is a real problem at major events — but it won't satisfy fans who've been priced out of attending. And for those tracking the over/under on group stage attendance in the less glamorous venues, stadium atmosphere and crowd size remain a genuine variable.
The tournament kicks off Thursday. The Azteca becomes the first ground to host matches at three men's World Cups. Whatever you think of how FIFA got here, the football starts now — and Artan still can't get through the door.
