Just days before kick-off, all three host countries — , Mexico and Canada — are grappling with a series of political, social and organizational issues that threaten to overshadow the world’s biggest soccer event.
The tournament, which kicks off on June 11 with the Mexico-South Africa clash, is taking place in a particularly tense international environment. Geopolitical conflicts, concerns over US immigration policy, exorbitant ticket prices and security issues in host countries have already sparked strong reactions from fans, politicians and human rights groups.
The issue of Iran’s participation
At the center of the debate is the participation of his national team, amid the war conflict that began in the country on February 28 by the US and Israel.
Last Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her country would host Iran’s national team during the World Cup, after the United States refused to allow the team to remain on American soil.
Although a fragile, temporary truce is currently in place, Iran’s participation has previously been in doubt, with the country’s national team scheduled to train in Arizona, but there have been US security concerns and visa concerns.
The president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, confirmed that the change had been officially approved by FIFA, following meetings with federation officials in Istanbul and Tehran that began in March.
Reactions to US commuting prices
Transportation prices to the stadiums have also sparked strong reactions, mainly in the USA.
A typical example is the move from Penn Station in Manhattan to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the World Cup final will be held. A round-trip ticket for the just 15-minute journey will cost $150, nearly a dozen times the regular price of $12.90.
New Jersey Governor Mickey Sherrill has accused FIFA of passing the cost on to fans, with the world governing body responding that it has no financial obligation to cover the increases.
Correspondingly high charges are recorded in other host cities, such as Boston, where travel to Gillette Stadium costs up to four times more than normal.
However, other host cities such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Kansas City and Houston have pledged to keep transit fares unchanged.
Tickets for a few
FIFA’s ticketing policy has also sparked outrage among fans, with many complaining that the World Cup is turning into an event for the financially privileged.
Tickets that went on sale in December started at $140 for first-round matches, with the final reaching $8,680. When FIFA opened a new round of sales on April 1, prices shot up even more, reaching as high as $10,990.
This development is in stark contrast to the initial commitments that spoke of tickets even at $21. In practice, the cheapest available ticket now costs around $60, while for popular matches the floor prices easily exceed $200.
Reduced demand for some perceived “big” games, such as USA-Paraguay, is already seen by some international media as a sign of public dissatisfaction with excessive prices.
Fears about immigration policy
At the same time, tough US immigration policies have fueled fears that fans from abroad could face tough checks or operations by US immigration authorities during the tournament.
FIFA is under pressure to ask Donald Trump to suspend operations during the World Cup, reports say. According to information cited by The Athletic of the New York Times, federation officials believe that such a move, given the friendly relationship between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Trump, could work positively for the public image of the American government and calm the concerns of foreign fans.
Security concern in Mexico
As far as Mexico is concerned, concerns are mainly focused on the safety of visitors.
Last month, a gunman opened fire at the site of the Teotihuacan pyramids — a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the country’s top tourist destinations — killing a Canadian tourist and injuring 13 others.
The incident caused intense reflection on the preparedness of the authorities in view of the event. President Sheinbaum assured that security measures will be significantly strengthened before the start of the World Cup.
“The government’s obligation is to take all the necessary measures so that such an incident does not happen again,” he said.
