Infantino says FIFA can’t override U.S. World Cup visa decisions

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that the organization cannot override U.S. government decisions on entry visas ahead of the upcoming World Cup, as questions grow over whether players and officials will face travel hurdles. Speaking at a news conference in Mexico City, Infantino said FIFA’s role is to look for practical solutions while respecting national authorities.

“We are a sports organisation; we try to do our best with the means that we have,” Infantino said, adding that FIFA officials are not “kings of the world” who can dictate decisions by governments or police forces. He said the approach is often to work quietly with the relevant authorities rather than escalate disputes publicly.

The comments followed a case earlier this week in which Omar Artan, a referee from Somalia, was denied entry to the United States despite having a valid visa. Infantino called the situation “unfortunate” but did not give details on the circumstances. FIFA removed Artan from the tournament roster after the denial.

Trump remarks and FIFA’s response

Infantino’s appearance also came after U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration was working to make sure “the right people” enter the country for the World Cup. Infantino said immediate public confrontation can make it harder to resolve such issues.

“Sometimes, to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect in terms of finding a solution,” he said. Infantino stressed that “chill and relax” should not be read as inaction, describing ongoing efforts to understand specific cases and to keep the process moving.

Hosts and the Iran travel plan

Infantino said FIFA had no regrets about selecting the United States as one of the three host countries for the 48-team tournament. He framed the visa discussion as an operational challenge rather than a reason to revisit the hosting decision.

He pointed to the Iranian national team’s ability to secure visas as an example of FIFA working through complicated situations. Officials said Iran’s players were granted visas 10 days before their first match in Los Angeles, with the team set to train in Mexico and shuttle to games in the United States before returning to Tijuana.

With the tournament approaching, the key question will be whether any additional participants face entry problems and how quickly FIFA and host-country authorities can resolve them without disrupting the competition’s staffing and match operations.