At the Azteca Stadium, Gianni Infantino brushed aside fan fears over visa hurdles for the 2026 World Cup, insisting the situation was "unfortunate" and beyond FIFA’s control.

He highlighted the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who faced an 11‑hour interrogation before being denied entry, and said the federation could only "speak" to governments.

Infantino defended the US government’s security stance, praising former President Trump for making a U.S. World Cup viable. He rejected calls to question U.S. policy, stressing respect for national decisions.

The president’s comments offer little solace to affected teams, such as Iran, forced to base in Mexico. FIFA remains stuck between diplomatic constraints and the need to protect the tournament’s integrity.