Teams, players, and officials denied US visas or entry for the World Cup

The US government is facing sharp criticism from immigration and human rights experts over visa troubles and entry denials for athletes and officials attending the 2026 World Cup.

Protests against President Donald Trump's administration have grown after top Somali referee Omar Artan, selected to officiate World Cup matches, was denied entry to the US this week.

"Human rights organizations and advocacy groups have repeatedly raised concerns about immigration enforcement practices and the treatment of migrant communities in the US," international sports lawyer Khayran Noor told Al Jazeera last month.

Noor said that while these debates are "independent" of football, they inevitably become relevant when a country hosts one of the world's biggest international events.

"The challenge is that major sports events depend not only on logistics and security, but also on atmosphere and perception."

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for a "radical rethink" of US immigration policy, expressing hope that issues "about racism, about surveillance, about immigration enforcement" would not affect this World Cup as they have in the past.

Although Artan returned home on Wednesday to a hero's welcome with an optimistic attitude, his case revived discussion about the geopolitics and racism behind US visa denials ahead of the 48-team, 39-day tournament starting Thursday.

Fans from many countries, including Morocco and Scotland, who spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels, and tickets for the most expensive World Cup in history, also reported having their travel documents rejected or revoked just days before departure.

Below is a list of athletes, officials, and fans affected by US visa issues:

Omar Artan – Somalia

Artan, 34, was set to make history as the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup, but his debut dream ended at Miami airport, where he was denied entry and sent back to Istanbul, despite a valid US visa and full documentation.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Al Jazeera on Monday that Artan was "determined to be inadmissible" to the US "due to screening concerns," even though he was on FIFA's list of 52 World Cup referees.

Trump has targeted Somalia and the Somali-American community with inflammatory rhetoric, once calling the community "trash," and placed Somalia on the US travel ban list.

Iranian team and officials

Until last week, it was unclear whether Iran's football team would be granted US visas due to the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran, injecting geopolitical tension into sports.

The US issued visas to all players on Friday, just 10 days before their first match, but many support staff members were denied visas, including "key management and administrative members," according to Iran's football federation.

Iran's team, originally expected to base in Arizona, will instead stay in Tijuana, neighboring Mexico, throughout the tournament, despite playing all group-stage matches on the US West Coast.

The team will be allowed into the US one day before each of their three group-stage matches, the DHS said on Tuesday.

Media reports over the weekend quoted Iran's ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, saying the team would have to enter and leave the US on the same day of each match, raising questions about logistics and whether this could affect performance.

Aymen Hussein – Iraq

Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was detained for nearly seven hours and had his phone searched at Chicago O'Hare airport before finally being allowed into the US.

"Why does the US host the World Cup if it is so hostile to foreigners?" the 30-year-old player said after the incident.

Meanwhile, team photographer Talal Salah was held for more than 10 hours, underwent similar phone checks, and was ultimately denied entry to the US.

Woodensky Pierre – Haiti

Woodensky Pierre, the only member of Haiti's national football team living in the Caribbean nation, was granted a late visa by the US government to compete in the World Cup.

Pierre had been training with local players in an upscale area of the capital Port-au-Prince while awaiting his visa, a "great moment for him, a moment of happiness," said a Haitian football federation official.

The midfielder from Cite Soleil missed a friendly match against New Zealand because his visa was not approved by US authorities in time. He landed at Miami airport around halftime with Haitian football officials, hoping to see the end of the match.

Breel Embolo – Switzerland

Swiss striker Breel Embolo was unable to travel with the team due to a flagged visa issue, but eventually caught up with his teammates after being allowed entry to the US.

The incident stemmed from a prior conviction for a 2018 scuffle in Basel. Embolo was found guilty of threats five years later, a ruling he chose not to appeal, but this put his fate in the hands of a meeting at the US embassy in Bern, where he presented his case and was cleared for travel.

Does FIFA have a duty to secure visas?

FIFA's 2017 bidding rules for countries wanting to host this World Cup state that visa processing "must be applied in a non-discriminatory way," provided it does not "adversely affect immigration and national security standards."

Sports lawyer Noor explained that countries naturally maintain sovereign responsibility over border control and national security, but global sports events often require special frameworks.

"This is not about asking countries to abandon immigration laws or give up sovereignty. Rather, it's about questioning whether hosting the world's biggest sports events comes with a responsibility for inclusion and meaningful access," Noor said.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino dismissed concerns and criticism, saying the global football body's executives are not "kings of the world" and cannot interfere in government decisions.

Infantino, facing press questions on the eve of the World Cup on Wednesday, said FIFA focuses on being a "sports organization" and will not meddle in helping the US determine entry approvals into the country.

"We always try to find solutions — always," Infantino said at a press conference in Mexico City. "But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world, who can rule governments and police forces. We are a sports organization; we try to do our best with the means we have."