Omar Artan, Somalia's top referee, faces deportation after an 11-hour interrogation by US immigration officials despite having proper visas. The incident has raised serious questions about FIFA's control over its tournament as the organization's own officials are being denied entry to the World Cup they're supposed to oversee.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino previously stated that teams unable to access a host country means "there is no World Cup." Yet his words now ring hollow as the Trump administration implements strict immigration measures, including a complete entry ban on Somalia and denial of visas to 15 Iranian staff members.

The World Cup's ability to function as a unified sporting event now hangs in the balance. With teams and officials facing unprecedented entry barriers and Iran scheduled to arrive from Mexico before their first match, immigration restrictions have clearly taken precedence over football, creating the most controversial World Cup in recent memory.