Infantino Addresses World Cup Visa Concerns, Says FIFA Cannot Override Governments

FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended FIFA's handling of visa-related issues ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, stating that the organization cannot override government immigration decisions. His comments came after Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry to the United States despite reportedly holding a valid visa. U.S. authorities cited alleged links to suspected members of terrorist organizations as the reason for the denial. Infantino described the situation as unfortunate and said FIFA is working behind the scenes to find solutions, while stressing that immigration matters remain under the control of national governments. He also said he has no regrets about selecting the United States as one of the hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.