Donald Trump Defends US Visa Policy as World Cup Entry Controversies Intensify
- Donald Trump defended US visa policies after growing criticism ahead of the World Cup
- Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States despite previously receiving a visa
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted security checks are necessary while promising efforts to resolve entry issues
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With just hours remaining before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, US President Donald Trump has been forced to defend the country’s immigration and visa policies amid growing anger and confusion surrounding entry into the United States.
Although Mexico and Canada are also hosting matches, the majority of the tournament’s fixtures will take place in the United States. Players, coaching staff, officials and supporters have been arriving in the country over the past week, but several incidents have sparked controversy and drawn widespread attention on social media.
One of the most notable cases involved Somali referee Omar Artan, who had been selected to officiate matches at the World Cup. Artan was denied entry into the United States on Monday despite previously being granted a visa.
According to reports, he was informed that he would not be allowed into the country because of “vetting concerns”.
It later emerged that the issue stemmed from Artan sharing the same name as a leader of the Al Shabab militant group. However, the referee is far from the only person connected to the tournament who has encountered difficulties entering the host nation.
Visa and Immigration Issues Cast Shadow Over Tournament Build-Up
Several incidents involving players, officials and supporters have fuelled concerns about entry procedures ahead of the World Cup.
Earlier this week, footage surfaced showing members of the Senegal national team delegation being checked by airport security while standing on the tarmac before boarding a flight from Raleigh, North Carolina, to San Antonio, Texas.
The scenes prompted a backlash online, with many accusing authorities of treating the players and staff “like criminals”.
Supporters have also voiced frustration over visa-related complications.
Many fans have complained about what they describe as confusing and restrictive entry rules, with some claiming they have effectively been excluded from attending the tournament.
Iranian supporters have been particularly vocal after reports emerged that the country's entire allocation of World Cup tickets had been revoked ahead of the competition.
The growing criticism surrounding immigration procedures eventually led to questions being directed at President Trump during a press briefing in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
When asked about concerns that “people are afraid that it’s going to be harder and harder to get visas to come from outside” for the World Cup, Trump responded:
“We’re working on it very closely to make sure the right people come into our country.”
Trump also praised the tournament and highlighted ticket sales.
“It’s the most successful World Cup they have ever had,” he said, while referencing the number of tickets sold for the competition.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino Responds to Growing Concerns
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has also weighed in on the growing controversy.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Infantino defended the security screening process and stressed the scale of the challenge facing tournament organisers.
“It’s not easy when you have 300,000 accredited people, the majority of whom are from outside of the US, to process and vet,” Infantino said.
“You don’t know. Unfortunately, our world is a very aggressive world and security goes above everything, and you need to respect the decisions which are taken.”
The FIFA president explained that when he urged people to remain calm about the situation, he was not suggesting that concerns should be ignored.
“When I say to chill, I don’t mean to chill and do nothing,” he added.
“I mean to trust us that we are working behind the scenes. We are trying to understand. There are things we can know, things we cannot know, things we are told and things we are not told.”
Infantino acknowledged that FIFA has been attempting to resolve issues wherever possible.
“We always try to make the situation as positive as possible and to find solutions. Sometimes we manage, other times not.”
The FIFA chief also pointed to Iran’s participation in the tournament as evidence of progress.
“I think it has already been successful to bring Iran to play in America. I don't know who would have managed to do that,” he said.
“Of course, everyone here believes it’s the right thing to do, but again, we don’t live on the moon. We live on planet Earth, and you have to deal with different situations.”
“We try to do our best and I hope we’ll have some good news.”
As the tournament prepares to get underway, visa and immigration issues remain one of the biggest off-field talking points surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Source: YEN.com.gh
