MEXICO CITY: With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off on Thursday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has moved to clarify three major issues dominating pre-tournament discussions – Iran’s participation, the visa saga involving Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, and concerns surrounding ticket prices and availability.
Bafana Bafana, led by coach Hugo Broos, feature in the opener against co-hosts Mexico on Thursday [9PM] at the Estadio Azteca.
Speaking during a media briefing in Mexico City on Wednesday, Infantino defended the United States’ handling of visa-related challenges while revealing that more than six million tickets have already been sold for the tournament.
Infantino said FIFA had worked extensively with authorities in the three host nations to ensure Iran’s qualification would not be affected by geopolitical tensions. “The three topics which were coming up all the time in the last few weeks were Iran, tickets and visas,” Infantino told journalists.
He revealed he had met members of the Iranian national team earlier this year and remained confident they would take part in the tournament despite concerns.
“When people were saying it would be impossible for Iran to come to the World Cup, I told them, and I promised them that they would come,” he said. “Of course, there are challenges. Of course, it’s not easy. But I’m very happy that we managed to get Iran to come and play in this World Cup.”
Infantino added that FIFA’s objective was to ensure football remains a unifying force despite political realities. “When Iran plays, the stadium will be full, and I hope there will be a positive atmosphere because this is football. This is about people forgetting for a moment their realities and being able to focus on a match and on a team.”
INFANTINO RESPONDS TO SOMALIA REFEREE’S VISA CONTROVERSY
Infantino also addressed the case of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who reportedly encountered visa-related difficulties. The FIFA president said the governing body had introduced measures to assist fans and officials travelling to the United States, including a FIFA Pass system designed to speed up visa processing.
“Through this, we have been able to organise with the American administration the FIFA Pass system – a speedy procedure to obtain visas,” he said.
He also revealed that certain financial guarantees previously required from travellers from some African countries had been waived for World Cup attendees.
“We have obtained that the bonds or payments which had to be made in some countries in Africa have been waived. No government has obtained that for their citizens. We obtained it for the fans.”
Addressing Artan’s case directly, Infantino urged patience while discussions continue.
“It is unfortunate what happened to Omar, the referee from Somalia. But again, we don’t control everything,” he said. “We will try to discuss, we will speak, and we will see. We always try to find solutions. Always.”
SIX MILLION TICKETS SOLD AS DEMAND SURGES
On ticket sales, Infantino revealed that demand for the tournament has far exceeded FIFA’s expectations. “We sold until today over six million tickets,” he said. “The demand has been unprecedented, not by a little bit, but by a factor of ten or more. The number of ticket requests we received has been unprecedented.”
The FIFA president thanked supporters worldwide and described the tournament as a unique sporting experience, particularly given the rarity of World Cups hosted in North America.
“The World Cup is a unique event that takes place every four years,” he said. “The last World Cup in this part of the world was in 1994 for the United States and in 1986 for Mexico. We don’t know when the next one will be. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, is set to become the largest edition in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches.
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