List of 2026 FIFA World Cup controversies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Many controversies have come out of the preparation and staging of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. The ongoing political tensions between Iran and the United States are among the biggest topics listed.
Climate
In January 2025, Queen's University Belfast warned about potential heat risks for most of the host cities and urged FIFA to schedule match kickoffs later into the afternoon or evening, stating that the wet-bulb globe temperature in certain host cities was higher than that of Qatar in the winter.[1] During the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which was also hosted in the United States, several matches reported high temperatures ranging from 90 to 102 °F (32 to 39 °C) and weather delays.[2][3] In December 2025, FIFA announced that all matches at the 2026 World Cup would include a mandatory three-minute hydration break in each half to allow players to rest in hot conditions.[4] The three-minute period would also be available for commercials at the discretion of tournament broadcasters.[5]
Concerns have also been raised by climate activists about the environmental impact of both the expansion to 48 teams as well as traveling between host cities, most of which will require extensive air travel and increase carbon emissions, a counter to one of FIFA's goals on sustainability.[6] A report by Scientists for Global Responsibility in July 2025 calculated that the amount of greenhouse gas emissions for the tournament would make it one of the most polluting events in the world as it would be almost double the average for the last four tournaments (2022 reportedly had 5.25 million metric tons [5.79 million short tons]), roughly the same amount as 6.5 million cars driven for a year.[7]
Immigration policy in the United States
During the bidding process, President Donald Trump's executive orders regarding immigration from certain Muslim-majority countries in 2017 implemented during his first term were touted as a potential risk. Infantino stated, "any team, including the supporters and officials of that team, who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup."[8] In response, the Trump administration sent letters to FIFA that read, in part, that Trump was "confident" that "all eligible athletes, officials and fans from all countries around the world would be able to enter the United States without discrimination."[9]
Concerns around the staging of the tournament were also raised during the first meeting of the FIFA World Cup Task Force due to the immigration policy of the second Donald Trump administration. In response, Vice President JD Vance said, "Of course, everybody is welcome to come and see this incredible event, but when the time is up, they'll have to go home. Otherwise, they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem."[10]
On June 11, 2025, the Sports & Rights Alliance, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International called on FIFA to ensure that human rights in the United States were upheld during the tournament, especially in light of the use of force during the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles where journalists and protesters were attacked by local police.[11][12][13] Following the killings of civilians Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents during immigration enforcement operations in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area in January 2026, fan group Football Supporters Europe stated that it was "extremely concerned by the ongoing militarisation of police forces in the US."[14]
2025 travel ban and exemptions
In June 2025, the second Trump administration reinstated a travel ban affecting citizens from multiple countries, citing national security concerns.[15] The ban, which was later expanded in December, prohibits the issuance of new immigrant and non-immigrant visas for citizens of 39 affected countries, including those whose teams have qualified for the World Cup—Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast, and Senegal. The proclamation includes an exemption for any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting events as determined by the Secretary of State.[16][17]
This exemption ensured that national teams' players, coaches, and staff of those designated countries would be permitted to enter the United States for the competition, but the US State Department confirmed that ordinary citizens of the four countries were not covered by this exemption, making them ineligible for visa issuance to attend the matches. While fans were permitted to submit visa applications with the promise of priority if they provided proof of tickets, the department noted that issuance would be unlikely, barring rare "national interest" waivers. However, this restriction can be circumvented if a fan is a valid visa holder, a permanent resident, or a dual national who applies using a passport not subject to the ban. In such cases, applicants may still be eligible to enter or apply for entry, provided they satisfy all other immigration and security requirements.[18][19][20]
Visa bond program
Aside from the travel ban, the Trump administration also introduced a “visa bond” policy in August 2025 targeting nationals from countries with high overstay rates, inadequate screening and vetting information, or those that offer citizenship by investment programs, whereby applicants can obtain citizenship without a residency requirement.[21][22][23] The qualified teams affected under this policy are Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia, requiring aspiring fans to pay a deposit of up to $15,000 in order to secure a B-1/B-2 visitor visa needed to attend World Cup matches in the United States.[24] Unlike the travel ban, there is no word if the policy will apply to national team players, coaches, and staff from the designated countries but The New York Times reported that FIFA is looking to get exemptions for players from those nations who are on the list.[25][26]
Potential boycott over Greenland
Following US assertions regarding Greenland in January 2026, European political and sporting figures discussed a potential boycott of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with calls for action emerging from the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. While major governing bodies remained cautious, the debate highlighted growing friction between FIFA—headed by Gianni Infantino, who presented a "FIFA Peace Prize" to US President Donald Trump in December 2025—and European soccer associations, with some figures drawing parallels to the exclusion of Russia from international competition in 2022.[27]
Iran's participation
On November 27, 2025, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) said it would boycott the December 5 World Cup draw after its president, Mehdi Taj, was denied a visa to enter the United States. Four other delegation members, including head coach Amir Ghalenoei, were approved. An FFIRI spokesperson told state media the United States' decision was "unrelated to sport" and said the federation quickly raised the issue with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.[28] However, on December 3, the FFIRI reversed its decision and announced that it would send representatives to the draw, with head coach Ghalenoei serving as the technical representative of the national soccer team.[29]
FIFA has long promoted the World Cup under the slogan "Football Unites the World," presenting it as a symbol of global connection and harmony. However, several reports suggest that the 2026 edition is taking place in a more complex context, with political tensions, including those involving Iran and the United States, as well as security concerns and immigration and visa policies in the United States, potentially making participation in the tournament more difficult.[30] Some analysts also describe the tournament as facing a mix of political, security, and logistical challenges at the same time.[31] Some commentators argue that while FIFA continues to emphasize messages of unity, these conditions may undermine that narrative by highlighting divisions and unequal access for fans from different parts of the world.[32]
Protests and massacres in Iran
In January 2026, multiple Iranian soccer players and athletes were killed during the 2026 Iran massacres amid protests, including former Tractor Sazi F.C. midfielder Mojtaba Tarshiz, prompting former Iran national team captain Masoud Shojaei to criticize FIFA for its silence over the killing of Iranian athletes during protests, while then-captain Mehdi Taremi expressed solidarity with the Iranian people.[33][34][35][36] Ali Karimi, a former player for the Iran national team, along with a coalition of prominent Iranians, wrote an open letter to FIFA and all its member associations, calling on Infantino to speak up on the protest deaths.[37]
Iran war
Further complications regarding Iran's participation occurred as a result of the 2026 Iran–United States crisis in February 2026, which resulted in the United States and Israel launching missiles at Iran. In retaliation, Iran launched missiles at Israel and Persian Gulf Arab states, as well as additional spillover missile strikes in Jordan. FIFA stated that it was monitoring the situation and was focused on getting all countries to participate, despite reports saying Iran may not participate.[38][39][40]
According to The Guardian, if Iran were to withdraw, intercontinental playoff participant Iraq or the United Arab Emirates, the last Asian Football Confederation team to be eliminated from the qualifiers, could be likely beneficiaries to replace it in Group G.[41][42] FIFA has warned that Iran could face fines and a ban from future competitions should it withdraw from the tournament.[43] However, on March 10, Iran hinted that it may do so due to the risk of defections from players, similar to the women's team during the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Australia.[44]
Following a meeting with US President Trump on March 10, Infantino said that Trump had reiterated that the Iranian team "is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States".[45] In a post on Truth Social, Trump later added that, while the team is welcome, it would "[not be] appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety".[46] In response, Iran asked for FIFA to remove the United States as tournament hosts, referring to Trump's statement that the Iranian team's safety could not be guaranteed.[47][48]
On March 11, Iran's Minister of Sport and Youth, Ahmad Donyamali, reportedly ruled out participation in the World Cup in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur, citing the assassination of Ali Khamenei, and later told Iranian state television that "under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup", though the team's withdrawal has not been confirmed by FIFA.[49][50]
On March 17, it was reported that FFIRI was negotiating with FIFA to move Iran's scheduled matches from the United States to Mexico, again citing Trump's statement that the Iranian team's safety could not be guaranteed.[51] However, FIFA denied Iran's request to move its matches and said that the schedule will go ahead as planned.[52]
That same day, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated that it had not received any formal notification from Iran regarding an intention to withdraw from the tournament. Speaking to reporters at AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, General Secretary Windsor John said that the final decision rests with FFIRI, adding that "the federation has informed us that they are going to the World Cup." He also expressed hope that Iran would resolve its internal issues and participate, noting that the team was among the first Asian teams to secure qualification, having done so in March 2025.[51]
On March 27, ahead of a scheduled AFC Champions League Elite match, state media reported that Iran's Ministry of Sport and Youth had banned its sports teams from traveling to countries it considers "hostile", but it did not explicitly mention the World Cup.[53]
The Group G host cities, which include Los Angeles and Seattle, as well as Iran's base camp city Tucson, Arizona, reportedly fear increased security risks.[48]
In March 2026, the US suggested Italy should take Iran's spot in the World Cup, according to the Financial Times.[54] In April 2026, FIFA president Infantino confirmed Iran's participation, stating: "The Iranian team is coming, for sure."[55][56]
In May 2026, Iran announced its demands for attending the World Cup, which includes visa guarantees for players, staff, journalists, and fans without further questioning by immigration authorities, security guarantees for players and staff, and "respectful" treatment of the Iranian flag, symbols, and national anthem. Requests were also made to have any press conference featuring the Iranian team to not include questions not related to the game.[57]
Impact on Iraq
The war also significantly impacted Iraq's logistical preparations for the interconfederation playoffs, needing to win just one match to qualify for the World Cup. Following the closure of Iraqi airspace and the suspension of international flights, the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs intervened to grant entry visas for the national team through diplomatic channels in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, since Mexico does not have an embassy in Iraq.[58] However, despite the issuance of visas, over 60% of the domestic-based squad remained stranded in Baghdad, and a scheduled training camp in Houston before the playoffs was canceled.[59][60] Head coach Graham Arnold was forced to manage team operations remotely from the United Arab Emirates, as the delegation was unable to secure safe passage out of the conflict zone during the initial weeks of the war.[61]
The Iraq Football Association (IFA) formally petitioned FIFA to postpone the playoff match, citing the impossibility of safe transit for the players and staff.[59] FIFA denied the request, citing the rigidity of the FIFA International Match Calendar, and instead proposed an alternative overland route through Turkey to Istanbul.[60] This proposal was rejected by IFA and Arnold due to security concerns regarding repeated Iranian strikes in the Kurdistan region.[61] Amidst these travel complications, the Mexican government maintained its commitment to the team's participation, working directly with the Iraqi Embassy in Mexico to finalize all documentation. On March 16, it was confirmed that FIFA would provide a chartered private jet to transport the Iraqi team to Mexico.[62] The original plan was for the team to fly on March 20 from the Arar Domestic Airport in Saudi Arabia, near the Iraqi border, and arrive in Monterrey the next day, 10 days before the match.[63] However, further airspace closures in the area forced the group of players and staff based in Iraq to travel overland to Jordan where they departed on a charter flight from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman on March 21. After a technical layover in Lisbon, they arrived in Monterrey minutes after midnight.[64][65]
On March 31, Iraq qualified for the World Cup after a 40-year absence by beating Bolivia 2–1 in the intercontinental playoff final, marking the longest qualifying campaign ever by a national team, spanning 21 matches over a period of 28 months beginning in November 2023.[66][67]
Pride Match (Egypt vs Iran)
A "Pride Match" was planned in advance to take place in Seattle, organized by the local committee to tie into the local celebration and without endorsement by FIFA. After the draw and release of the schedule, it was determined that this match would feature Egypt and Iran, two countries where homosexuality is punishable by law.[68] Seattle's Pride Match Advisory Committee spokesperson said "The Pride Match has been scheduled to celebrate and elevate Pride events in Seattle and across the country and it was planned well in advance".[69] Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj said both countries had "objections" and that the branding was an "irrational move that supports a certain group." Iran was planning to appeal the decision.[70] The Egyptian Football Association also sent a formal letter to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström rejecting "in absolute terms" LGBTQ connections to the match.[71]
Human rights and security in Mexico
Labor rights
In March 2025, the trade union Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) accused FIFA of blocking a planned labor inspection at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, which is undergoing renovations in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to BWI, FIFA's intervention prevented inspectors from evaluating working conditions at the site, raising concerns about potential labor rights violations similar to alleged instances of slave labor at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.[72]
Unrest in Jalisco
Following the capture and death of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes in Tapalpa on February 22, 2026, retaliatory violence was launched by CJNG members across the state of Jalisco and various other Mexican states which involved shootouts, explosions, and blocking roads using burnt vehicles as well as setting fire to various businesses, raising concerns about security during matches played in Guadalajara, Jalisco's largest city. Despite this, FIFA officials have no intentions to move any matches and the Mexican government has reassured visitors that security would be guaranteed for visitors.[73][74] In March 2026, Mexico announced that 100,000 troops would be deployed for security during the tournament.[75]
Ticket prices
In September 2025, FIFA confirmed it would use dynamic pricing for tickets for the first time in a World Cup, following the practice used in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.[76] The use of demand-based pricing drew criticism from some United States lawmakers, who argued that it could reduce affordability for fans. FIFA stated that its variable pricing approach differed from fully dynamic pricing, as adjustments were made based on periodic reviews of demand rather than automatic real-time changes.[77]
Fans and players have voiced concerns about high ticket prices, specifically to matches hosted in the United States.[78] FIFA's methods of ticket distribution have been scrutinized, as they have deployed a dynamic pricing system for fans to buy tickets through the organization's official website, which constantly re-prices tickets based on demand, rather than the traditional first-come, first-served method of ticket distribution. FIFA also uses its own secondary market for fans to sell among themselves.[79]
New York mayor Zohran Mamdani has attempted to combat FIFA's price gouging by campaigning for FIFA to end their dynamic pricing model, albeit to no avail.[80] House Democrats have also called on FIFA to lower prices, and have been ignored by the organization.[81]
FIFA was heavily criticized by the media and fans for hiking ticket prices for the final match at MetLife Stadium, with a single ticket costing US$11,000.[82] USMNT midfielder Timothy Weah stated that tickets are "too expensive", criticisms that were dismissed by manager Mauricio Pochettino, which caused backlash from American fans.[83][84][85] In May 2026, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the price of tickets, insisting the organization "had to apply market rates".[86]
Final match halftime show
On September 28, 2024, FIFA announced that Global Citizen, an international advocacy organization, would co-produce a halftime show for the final match at MetLife Stadium, the first halftime show in the history of the World Cup.[87] The show is intended to copy the format of the Super Bowl halftime show, featuring a well-known musical performer to increase the tournament's commercial appeal in the market. On May 14, 2026, FIFA announced that the halftime show would feature performances by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS.[88]
The show has generated debate in the global soccer community. Supporters argue that the event modernizes the World Cup and provides a platform for global cultural exchange and revenue growth. However, critics, players, media, unions, and traditionalist fan groups have criticized what they view as the "Americanization" of soccer. Primary objections focus on the potential extension of the traditional 15-minute halftime interval, which generated an argument that it will disrupt player recovery, interfere with technical coaching adjustments, and break the natural flow of the match.[89][90]
Decentralized host committees in the United States
Unlike previous World Cups where there was a centralized organizing committee, each of the 11 US host cities have set up their own individual host committees, with independent deals with FIFA. As a result, most of the financial and legal responsibilities have shifted from a national level to a local one, including the majority of those for infrastructure improvements, public safety and security, and transportation.[91][92]
In February 2026, the Select Board of Foxborough refused to grant the entertainment license to hold matches at Gillette Stadium, stating that they still needed $7.8 million upfront in security funding, which is too heavy of a burden for a community with a population of about 18,000 to pay now and wait to be reimbursed later.[91][93] While the federal government had earmarked a total of $625 million for security in the 11 US host cities, it remained unclear how much Foxborough's share would be and when it would receive it.[94] In addition, while the local Boston host committee is responsible for most of the public safety costs, they were still waiting on federal grant funding.[92] The town board had set a deadline of March 17 for the funding issue to be resolved, which was accomplished when Robert Kraft agreed five days before the deadline that his company would pay the bill.[93][95]
Various cities have also had issues regarding the planning of the FIFA Fan Festival, which has resulted in plans for large central fan festivals, typically seen at the tournament, either being canceled and replaced with smaller community focused festivals or scaled down due to high costs in New York/New Jersey, Miami, and Seattle.[96][97][98]
