News Focus
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino defends his organisation after US authorities deny entry to Somali referee Omar Artan.
- Artan was set to become the first official from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup.
- Infantino uses the phrase ‘chill and relax’ when asked about solving the visa dispute.
- The FIFA boss also faces questions about high ticket prices and Iran’s participation in the tournament.
- Iran’s football federation reports that their ticket allocation has been cancelled days before their opening match.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has asked football supporters to stay calm. He made this request after a Somali referee could not enter the United States for World Cup duty. Infantino spoke for 66 minutes on the day before the tournament started.
Omar Artan was going to make history. He was set to be the first referee from Somalia at a World Cup. However, US officials refused him entry. Somalia is on the American travel ban list. Artan believed his visa was valid, but the authorities disagreed.
Many people have criticised this decision. Infantino said he feels sorry for Artan. He explained that FIFA cannot control everything. ‘We do not rule the world. We cannot tell governments or police what to do. We are a sports organisation,’ he stated.
Infantino said that shouting does not solve problems. ‘Sometimes it is good to chill and relax,’ he added. ‘We always try to find answers. Screaming often has the opposite effect.’
He compared the situation to the 2035 Women’s World Cup. This event might take place in the UK. He asked if FIFA should tell the British government who can enter their country. He said security decisions belong to governments, not football bodies.
Infantino also spoke about ticket prices. Fans have complained about the high costs. The cheapest tickets cost £45 ($60). There were only 402 cheap tickets for England’s first match, even though the team received 4,022 tickets in total.
FIFA uses dynamic pricing. This means prices change based on demand. The organisation also runs an official resale website. FIFA takes 15 per cent from both the buyer and seller on this platform. Some tickets have appeared for millions of pounds.
The FIFA chief defended these prices. He said the market decides the cost. He argued that cheap tickets would simply appear on the black market at higher prices.
Finally, Infantino discussed Iran’s national team. There were doubts about their participation after military clashes involving the US and Israel. However, Infantino visited the team personally. He promised they would play in the tournament.
Days before Iran’s first game against New Zealand, their football federation announced bad news. They said their ticket allocation had been cancelled. Despite this, Infantino said he is happy the team arrived safely. He hopes the stadium will have a positive atmosphere when they play.