Donald Trump spoke out regarding the controversial entry into the United States during the 2026 World Cup. After emblematic cases such as the impediment of referee Omar Artan, from Somalia, the rigorous searches of the Senegal delegation and the denial of visas from Iran, the American president said that he is working to ensure that “the right people” enter the territory.
The current edition of the tournament is the first for the Republican Party in power, as in 1994, Bill Blinton, from the Democrats, was in charge of the White House. Since the businessman’s return to power, who also governed from 2017 to 2021, the country adopted restricted immigration and entry policies, which were extended to football’s biggest event.
“It’s the most successful World Cup they’ve ever had,” declared Trump in an interview with journalists in the Executive branch. “They (Fifa) have never sold tickets at this level, so quickly”, he added.
Despite the politician’s enthusiasm, around 180,000 tickets are still available on the official resale platform for the 2026 World Cup, for 87 of the 104 games that will be played in the tournament.
Trump also revealed a conversation he had with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. “I spoke to Gianni in the morning. He said that nothing like what is happening has ever happened,” he said.
When asked by a journalist about the controversies surrounding visas and entry into American soil, the President of the United States was direct. “We are working closely to make sure the right people enter the country,” he said.
This Wednesday morning, the captain of the Iran national team, Mehdi Taremi, criticized the host’s stance and accused him of having caused “tension” in the tournament. According to him, the “friendly atmosphere” common at the World Cups is not being seen there. And the UN asked the US to “profoundly rethink” its migration policy during the World Cup.
