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Posted by hscpupil Features

Football vs Politics: The match before the tournament

By Ollie Scrimshaw

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than six months away, excitement across the footballing world is building to a level never seen before. The United States, co-hosting with Mexico and Canada, is preparing to welcome millions of travelling supporters for what promises to be the largest and most anticipated football event ever held. But behind the buzz of ticket sales and fan events, controversial decisions have been made by the US Government and FIFA regarding who will be able to attend matches in the U.S, casting a shadow over what should be a pure celebration of sport. 

The requirement of a Visa to enter the country will be the problem for the four countries whose fans have been barred from entering the U.S, even if they have tickets for the game. Currently, Senegal, Haiti, Iran, and Côte d’Ivoire have received complete or partial bans, which some argue have nothing to do with the safety of the U.S but instead have been conveniently placed to support the country’s foreign political disagreements. While players, coaches and team officials are guaranteed entry under established exemptions, ordinary fans face stricter immigration laws that has alarmed supporters around the world. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has acknowledged the tension, warning that a World Cup ticket is “not a visa” and that even those from “safer countries” with match tickets will still undergo strict border checks before being allowed in the country. 

At the official launch of the Prioritised Visa Interview System, FIFA president Gianni Infantino stressed that “America welcomes the World” and that the initiative was meant to support inclusivity, but the reality many fans face is far more uncertain. Is the US really going to ban fans from entering the country just because of political tensions? Or have these new rules really been set to ensure safety to other fans? 

Supporters from countries banned from entering the US during the tournament have voiced strong frustration. Fans from Iran and Haiti, both of which have qualified for the tournament, have seen tighter travel limitations applied to their citizens under wider US policy, raising the troubling prospect that many might be unable to make the trip. This policy, paired with the expensive ticket prices, have raised concerns form across the globe. 

In late 2025, the Iranian Football Federation publicised its disapproval after members of its delegation were initially denied visas for World Cup events, with a federation spokesperson arguing that the decisions were “unrelated to sport”, and highlighting how geopolitical barriers can interfere with the sporting world. For supporters in those countries, the World Cup is about more than football; it is a chance to display national pride and unity on the world stage. Being told that might not be possible because of entry restrictions has felt to many like an unfair decision that is not necessary to ensure safety. 

Even within the football establishment, reactions have been mixed. The German Football Federation (DFB) chose to reject calls for a boycott and confirmed its commitment to participating in the tournament, emphasising that football should transcend politics. DFB Vice President Oke Gottlich reflected the tension felt by many officials, acknowledging political concerns but advocating for unity through sport. This position illustrates how deeply divided opinions are among the institutions that govern the game: some see strict national laws as a necessary compromise with governments, while others see them as contrary to football’s universal ethos. Other countries, such as South Africa, the UK and Netherlands have also received calls to boycott the tournament, with a petition in the Netherlands receiving 163,000 signatures and stating that “It is unacceptable for our footballers to go to a tournament organised by a president who is threatening to invade an ally.”  

Human rights and civil society groups have added another layer of critique, warning that overly rigid travel policies risk excluding fans based on nationality rather than behaviour, undermining commitments made when the United States were awarded hosting rights. Advocates have urged FIFA and government officials to find reasonable and practical solutions that protect both security and the spirit of global inclusion that defines the World Cup. 

But are these accusations valid or are countries from across the world getting sucked into the political side of the cup, just what they have accused the U.S government of? Iran currently faces civil unrest in its largest cities, with protests against the government and the treatment of protesters rocking the foundations of the country. Because of this, president of the U.S has sent a large number of military personnel to countries around Iran, as tensions rise between the two countries. It can be understood why fans from Iran have been banned from spectating the event due to these quickly escalating circumstances. However, Senegal, Haiti and Côte d’Ivoire have had no major political disagreement recently, so the cause of their ban is far less easily justified.  

However, these controversial decisions are not the only ones made by FIFA about the World Cup. The prices of tickets for matches held across North America resulted in backlash after fans claimed that they were ‘outrageously priced’ and ‘unaffordable’. Replying to these comments, FIFA President Gianni Infantino claimed that they matched the ‘absolutely crazy’ demands for this years’ Cup, but with ticket prices for the final in New Jersey peaking at almost $9000, fans are struggling to believe how this can be justified. These prices are by far the most expensive ones in the history of the FIFA World Cup – almost four times the prices of tickets in Qatar 2022. 

But Infantino says the level of demand far outstrips supply: “We have six to seven million tickets on sale and in 15 days we received 150 million ticket requests,” Infantino said at the World Sports Summit in Dubai. However, these claims could be inaccurate, as only 44 million tickets have been sold during the entire history of the World Cup. So is Infantino over exaggerating when it comes to the attendance, or is this year’s world cup really going to attract tens of millions from across the world?  

Whilst the exact number of people estimated to travel to the 16 stadiums being used for the event is extremely hard to predict, FIFA Official Projections say that roughly 6.5 million fans will make the journey. Interestingly, the largest attendance ever recorded was the 1994 World Cup hosted by the United States, but even that total represents just over half of the predicted attendance of this year’s tournament. So surely that means that FIFA should be making these tickets cheaper, in order to promote inclusivity, so that fans from all over the world can afford to see one of the greatest sporting events ever? After all, not only is it predicted to be the largest in terms of attendance, but also with regards to the number of teams competing, with the usual 32 teams being upgraded to 48 for this year. Fans could argue that the choice to do this should promote inclusivity, rather than it leading to increased ticket prices, which are so expensive that they are unaffordable for most. 

As June approaches, these competing voices, from government officials and football chiefs to frustrated fans and advocacy groups, reflect the complex challenges facing world sport in the 21st century. The World Cup has always been a stage for the world’s best athletes, but in 2026 it may also become a test of how sport and politics will work alongside each other. But whether this World Cup will be one of the greatest in history or whether the politics and controversy will cast a shadow over the spectacular event, only time will tell. 

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