FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the way soccer’s governing body had handled visa issues ahead of the World Cup, saying on Wednesday that it was working to find solutions but could not override government decisions.
Speaking on the eve of the tournament opener between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa. Infantino addressed concerns surrounding Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was barred from entering the United States despite having a valid visa, calling the incident unfortunate and stating that FIFA is not the king of the world that can rule over governments and police forces, but rather a sports organisation. US authorities said Artan was denied entry because of his links to suspected members of terror organisations.
The FIFA president also pointed to Iran’s participation in the tournament as evidence of the organisation’s efforts to navigate complex political circumstances. Infantino repeatedly returned to a message of unity, saying the World Cup could provide a welcome distraction at a time of global conflict and uncertainty.
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Infantino also defended FIFA’s ticket pricing after criticism from some supporters who argued that the cost of attending matches had become prohibitive, stating that FIFA had sold more than six million tickets for the tournament, and demand had exceeded expectations by a factor of ten or more. The World Cup opens on June 11 with Mexico hosting South Africa.
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