The World Cup in the USA is a mess before kick-off: Soccer player detained, referee deported

Just three days before the start of football’s biggest spectacle, the FIFA World Cup continues to be mired in bizarre controversies. What began as a simple ticketing and logistical fiasco took a darker turn, with footballers and staff detained at airports for several hours and one official even banned from entering the United States.

The controversies are endless, the latest involving Africa’s best football referee, Omar Abdulkadir Artan. The Somali official was turned away by authorities at Miami International Airport and sent straight back on a flight to Istanbul, angering the entire football fraternity. Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was sent back from the airport. (Photo: X)

The decision to deport the referee stunned the football world, especially as reports suggested Artan was traveling on a diplomatic passport. The Somali embassy in Nairobi helped him secure a visa after initial delays, but U.S. border control eventually refused to let him into the country.

The incident prompted Somalia’s prime minister to issue a public statement challenging the US administration.

“I am deeply disappointed by the news that Omar Artan, Africa’s best referee and one of the best in the world, may not be able to referee at the FIFA World Cup due to visa-related circumstances,” said Hassan Ali Khaire.

“Omar has earned his place through talent, hard work, professionalism and integrity. Having held office at the highest levels of African and international football, his credentials speak for themselves. He represents not only Somalia but also the aspirations of millions of young Africans who believe that excellence should be recognized on the world stage,” he added.

This is not an isolated incident.

America’s growing conflict in West Asia led to many problems ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Just two days ago, on June 7, the Iraqi vice-captain and the country’s best striker Aymen Hussein was detained and interrogated for seven hours. Iraqi attacker Aymen Hussein was detained at the airport and interrogated for 7 hours. (Photo by Reuters)

Hussein is a talismanic figure who scored the goal that ensured Iraq qualified for the final.

The attacker was not alone in this ordeal. Another soccer player from the team was detained at the airport for questioning along with the team photographer.

While Hussein was eventually allowed into the country, the team’s photographer was barred from entering the United States.

DONALD TRUMP’S OPEN THREAT TO IRANIAN SOCCER

The origin of the problem can be traced back to a statement by Donald Trump on March 12, months before the tournament. At a time of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, Trump has openly questioned whether Iran’s national team should be allowed to compete.

“Iran’s national football team is welcome at the FIFA World Cup, but I really don’t think it’s appropriate for them to be here for their own lives and safety. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote.

Despite concerns from Iran, FIFA refused to grant requests to move the team’s matches outside the United States.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the visa drama has also affected the Iranian soccer team. The players were given visas only 10 days before the first match of the tournament, essentially robbing them of crucial time for acclimatization and preparation.

However, some members of the Iranian contingent were not granted visas, including “key management and administrative members”, according to the Iran Football Federation, which accused the US of breaching its hosting obligations and breaching FIFA regulations.

Iranian Ambassador Ali Pasandideh said 15 of the 70 members of the delegation that arrived in Tijuana were not granted visas to enter the United States.

FIFA did not respond to requests for comment on the dispute.

TICKET SALES: FIFA POLICY Blackmail

There is a running joke among soccer fans on social media that FIFA would charge you for the air you breathe in the stadium if they could.

And there’s a good reason for that.

As the United States grapples with visa disputes and immigration headaches, FIFA has found its own way to anger soccer fans around the world.

Football fans in Europe launched a formal complaint to the European Commission in March about ticket prices for the World Cup. Supporters’ groups claimed that FIFA had abused its position to impose unreasonable prices on fans.

The groups accused FIFA of a monumental betrayal when tickets went on sale ranging from $140 (about Rs 13,000) for the cheapest group stage games to $8,680 (about Rs 8.3 million) for the final. The ticketing process for the FIFA World Cup has sparked outrage among fans. (Photo by Reuters)

But how exactly has FIFA managed to anger football fans, arguably one of the most powerful groups in world sport?

There are several phases to FIFA’s ticketing controversy, which is basically where this whole saga of criticism started.

This is the first FIFA World Cup in recent memory where FIFA has not disclosed the ticketing process years before the tournament.

Until September 2025, FIFA released very little information about how the ticketing process would work. In comparison, before the 2018 World Cup, FIFA revealed ticket prices and the booking process almost two years in advance.

As soon as the tickets were released, fans woke up in shock. The upcoming edition was priced significantly higher than the previous World Cup in Qatar.

Even worse, FIFA had a dynamic pricing policy which meant that ticket prices could continue to rise as demand grew and the tournament approached.

FIFA COMES FOR TICKET RESELLERS

A leading US newspaper reported that the ticketing process was a monumental pain for ordinary fans. Many faced hour-long digital queues with multiple reporting errors knocking them out of the process and sending them straight to the back of the line.

In a system that was expected to deter ticket hoarders, FIFA has failed.

The United States has a relatively unregulated ticket resale market, which FIFA seemed willing to accept.

Instead of trying to discourage the process, FIFA leaned in and created an official platform where people who had already bought tickets could sell them at a higher price.

FIFA has not set any ceiling on resale prices. Why would? The governing body only wanted a 15 percent cut from tickets sold for a higher value through its platform.

Perhaps this is a good time to remind everyone that FIFA is officially a non-profit organization.

FANS PIG FOR THE BEST SEATS

Ticketing fiasco aside, FIFA’s most bizarre controversy came when fans claimed they were cheated after buying preferred seats.

The problem arose when many supporters reported that despite purchasing the seats closest to the pitch, they would not get an unobstructed view because FIFA decided to add additional seating structures in front of them.

This was not limited to one or two matches. Fans claimed that the issue affected the venues of the entire 104-match tournament.

FIFA did not address these complaints publicly.

FIFA WORLD CUP: TRAVEL PERMIT REJECTED

For many soccer fans, a trip to the FIFA World Cup is a dream come true. For several years, he has been saving money in order to be able to participate in even a single year of the tournament and personally experience the greatest football spectacle.

Many Scottish football fans have been left heartbroken and financially stranded after their visa approval status changed at the last minute just days before the tournament.

Speaking to the BBC, some supporters said they had booked flights, hotels and domestic travel after being approved, only to later find their travel permits had been refused.

“I’m amazed at how badly this turned out!”

“I waited 28 years to get to the World Cup… it cost me well over £10k!”

This Scotland fan reveals why he looks like he’ll miss watching his nation at the World Cup! pic.twitter.com/2i3kR8QKzU— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 8, 2026

With flights and hotel bookings dropping so close to the tournament, many are set to lose almost all of their money as their bookings cannot be canceled or rescheduled.

FIFA WORLD CUP CONTROVERSY

Hosting the FIFA World Cup is meant to be a celebration. Its aim is to bring together players, officials and fans from all over the world in a month-long festival of football. Instead, just days before kick-off, the 2026 World Cup finds itself buried under controversy.

From the deportation of referees and the detention of players at airports to visa disputes, ticket complaints and fans being left out of pocket, the pile-up has been dominated by stories that have very little to do with football itself.

None of these problems alone are big enough to derail the tournament. The World Cup will still start on June 12. Stadiums are likely to be full. Millions of people will still be watching.

But together they paint an unpleasant picture for FIFA and its hosts.

For an event that prides itself on being the biggest and most inclusive sporting spectacle on the planet, the road to launch has been anything but smooth.

– The end

Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

09 Jun 2026 12:34 IST