FIFA World Cup 2026 Opens Amid Immigration Concerns, High Ticket Prices

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, concerns over immigration policies, visa restrictions, and soaring ticket prices have emerged as major talking points ahead of the tournament, raising questions about accessibility and participation at one of the world’s largest sporting events.

Amid growing geopolitical tensions, expanding global conflicts, and evolving immigration regulations, stakeholders across the football community have voiced concerns about the impact these developments could have on players, officials, and fans traveling to the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the three host nations of the expanded tournament.

The criticism has not gone unnoticed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who addressed many of the concerns ahead of the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City Stadium.

Among the most prominent issues was the case of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the United States despite holding a valid visa. U.S. authorities reportedly cited his alleged links to “suspected members of terror organizations” as the reason for the decision.

“We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We are a sports organization,” said Infantino, emphasizing FIFA’s limited authority over national immigration decisions while noting that the organization continues to work behind the scenes to address such issues.

“We always try to find solutions,” he said. “Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.”

Artan’s case is one of several instances in which immigration restrictions have affected participants connected to the tournament. Infantino also addressed concerns surrounding Iran’s involvement after reports that the team would not be permitted to establish its tournament base in the United States.

“People were saying Iran couldn’t come to the World Cup,” Infantino said. “I promised them they will come.”

He added: “When Iran plays, the stadium will be full and I hope there will be a positive atmosphere because this is football,” he said. “We want to unite the world,” he added.

Infantino also defended FIFA’s ticket pricing strategy, which has come under intense scrutiny. While football has long been regarded as a sport accessible to working-class communities around the world, many fans have expressed concern that ticket costs for the 2026 tournament have placed attendance beyond the reach of average supporters.

The tournament is widely expected to be the most expensive World Cup in history. Prices for the final have reportedly climbed as high as $32,970, a significant increase from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where ticket prices ranged from $69 to $1,607.

FIFA attributes the higher prices to its dynamic pricing model, which Infantino argued reflects market conditions in North America.

“The starting price at $60 is the lowest entry price of any of the American ⁠sports in the playoff phases,” Infantino said.

“If you sell it at a lower price point, it would have gone on secondary markets at much higher prices. Every dollar that comes in goes back to the development of football.”

Infantino also dismissed concerns over investigations into FIFA’s World Cup ticket sales practices by attorneys general in California, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.

“We are very relaxed about it because before starting to sell 6.5 million or 7 million tickets we check what we do with the best lawyers,” he said. “We welcome every investigation.”

While debate continues off the field, attention is also turning to developments on it. Co-host Mexico will face South Africa in the tournament opener at Mexico City Stadium, marking the beginning of a historic World Cup for African football.

For the first time in tournament history, Africa will be represented by ten nations, the continent’s largest-ever presence at the World Cup. The teams are Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.

The milestone reflects the steady growth of African football on the global stage and follows Morocco’s groundbreaking run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a performance that reshaped perceptions of African teams in international competition.

Africa’s World Cup journey began with Egypt’s participation in 1934. Representation gradually expanded over the decades, with Morocco, DR Congo, and Tunisia among the early pioneers. The continent first secured five World Cup spots in 1998, while a previous record of six teams was established in 2010, when Ghana reached the quarter-finals.

Among the notable stories this year is Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup qualification. DR Congo returns to the tournament for the first time since 1974, while South Africa makes its first appearance since hosting the competition in 2010.

Established contenders such as Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Côte d’Ivoire bring significant experience, while newer entrants add fresh momentum to Africa’s ambitions.

According to a report published in the AIPS journal, Africa’s rise from a single representative in 1934 to ten qualified teams in 2026 reflects decades of progress and growing ambition. The challenge now is to translate unprecedented representation into historic performances on football’s biggest stage.

As the tournament begins, the World Cup finds itself balancing two competing narratives: concerns over immigration barriers and affordability on one hand, and a celebration of football’s expanding global reach on the other.

Schedule:

• South Africa v Mexico (Thursday 11 June 8 pm – Stadium, Mexico City)
• Brazil v Morocco (13 Jun 2026 – New York/New Jersey Stadium)
• Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (15 Jun 2026, Philadelphia Stadium)
• Sweden v Tunisia (15 Jun 2026 – Monterrey Stadium)
• Spain v Cape Verde (15 Jun 2026 – Atlanta Stadium)
• Belgium v Egypt (15 Jun 2026 Seattle Stadium)
• France v Senegal (16 Jun 2026 – New York/New Jersey Stadium)
• Argentina v Algeria (17 Jun 2026 – Kansas City Stadium)
• Portugal v DR Congo (Wednesday 17 June 6 pm – Houston Stadium, Houston)
• Ghana v Panama – (18 Jun 2026 – Toronto Stadium)

AFRICA’S PARTICIPATION AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP:

• 1934: Egypt
• 1970: Morocco
• 1974: DR Congo
• 1978: Tunisia
• 1982: Algeria, Cameroon
• 1986: Algeria, Morocco
• 1990: Cameroon, Egypt
• 1994: Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria
• 1998: Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia
• 2002: Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
• 2006: Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Tunisia
• 2010: Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa
• 2014: Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria
• 2018: Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia
• 2022: Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia
• 2026: Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

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