World Cup Host US Denies Visas, Detains Players Days Before Kickoff

(MENAFN) Just days before the opening whistle of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the United States finds itself embroiled in a deepening controversy — not over match fixtures or stadium readiness, but over a wave of visa denials, lengthy detentions, and aggressive security screenings targeting delegations from multiple participating nations.

The incidents, affecting teams from Iran, Iraq, Senegal and Uzbekistan, as well as a FIFA-appointed Somali referee barred from entering the country altogether, have triggered a storm of criticism across the global sporting community — and intensified pressure on FIFA, which has largely remained silent throughout.

13 Iranians Denied Visas; Camp Forced Out of US
Iran's preparations for Group G — where the team faces Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in matches scheduled on US soil — were thrown into disarray after American authorities moved to deny entry to significant portions of its delegation.

While US officials ultimately approved visas for the players, head coach Emir Ghalenoi, and select coaching staff, 13 administrative and technical personnel were refused outright. The fallout was immediate: Iran relocated its training base from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. The delegation was granted permission to enter the US exclusively for its three group-stage fixtures — barred from remaining in the country between matches.

Iraqi Star Held for Seven Hours at Chicago Airport
As the Iran visa saga drew international attention, a separate incident involving Iraqi football striker Aymen Hussein compounded the controversy.

One of Iraq's most influential players — whose nation is making its first World Cup appearance since 1986 — Hussein was detained and interrogated for approximately seven hours at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Iraqi media reported that his mobile phone was confiscated during the process. Separately, the national team's official photographer was denied entry into the country entirely.

FIFA-Appointed Somali Referee Turned Away
The controversy extended beyond players and coaching staff. Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, personally selected by FIFA to officiate at the tournament, was denied entry following screening procedures at Miami International Airport — eliminating what would have been a historic milestone. Artan, named the Confederation of African Football's Referee of the Year for 2025, had been on the verge of becoming the first Somali official ever to referee a World Cup match.

Senegal and Uzbekistan Face Intense Security Scrutiny
Videos spreading rapidly across social media showed Senegalese players subjected to exhaustive individual security screenings upon landing in the US, drawing widespread condemnation online.

Uzbekistan's delegation faced similarly striking scenes. Footage showed team members undergoing security checks alongside police dogs before being permitted to enter a stadium in New York ahead of a friendly match against the Netherlands — images that fuelled intense debate given that Uzbekistan is making its historic first-ever World Cup appearance.

FIFA's Silence Under Fire
Across all five incidents, FIFA — the governing body that awarded the United States co-hosting rights alongside Canada and Mexico — has conspicuously failed to issue any public response, drawing accusations that the organisation is abandoning its own principles.

Critics argue the incidents stand in direct contradiction to the inclusive, unifying spirit the World Cup is built upon, and are demanding the governing body intervene before further delegations are affected ahead of the June 11 opening.

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