FIFA's complicity in US immigration restrictions undermines World Cup inclusivity claims
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/morgan-ofori. "The most inclusive World Cup ever? Tell that to Omar Artan, the Somali referee just banned by Trump’s US | Morgan Ofori | The Guardian." June 10, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
FIFA claims this World Cup is the most inclusive ever, but they're letting Trump's immigration policies keep qualified referees and other officials out of the tournament. FIFA is being hypocritical because they made other countries promise fair access but won't stand up to the US when they break the same rules.
Conclusion
FIFA is being hypocritical and complicit by allowing the Trump administration's immigration restrictions to undermine the supposed inclusivity of the 2026 World Cup
Premises
- Omar Artan, a qualified Somali referee, was denied entry to the US without proper explanation despite being FIFA-accredited since 2018
- FIFA forced previous World Cup hosts to guarantee visas and minimal immigration interference for all accredited officials, but exempts the US from this requirement
- Multiple other exclusions are occurring, including Iranian fans having tickets revoked, visa denials for staff, and journalists being denied entry
- FIFA's response to these exclusions has been passive, essentially shrugging and deferring to US immigration authorities
- FIFA claims to promote African football development and inclusivity while simultaneously allowing African officials to be excluded from their premier event
- FIFA leaders actively cultivated relationships with Trump, making them complicit in the resulting discriminatory policies
Assumptions
- FIFA has the power and responsibility to ensure equal treatment of all accredited participants
- Previous World Cup hosting agreements created a precedent that should apply to all hosts
- A truly inclusive World Cup requires consistent application of access principles regardless of host country politics
- FIFA's commercial interests are driving them to prioritize US hosting over principled inclusivity