FIFA President Gianni Infantino raised the tone during the official press conference held in Mexico City this Wednesday, prior to the opening of the World Cup. Although he asked journalists to prioritize the debate on football, the director had to answer complex questions involving immigration restrictions in the United States and the ticket pricing policy for the tournament.
The most emblematic case involves referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, from Somalia, who was prevented from entering American territory by immigration agents. The professional needed to return to Türkiye, where his flight originated. Faced with the veto, Infantino adopted a stance of institutional pragmatism, stating that FIFA is a sporting entity and does not have sovereignty over police forces or decisions made by national governments.
Iran national team had to move training base to Mexico
The geopolitical context also put pressure on the organization of the World Cup. Iran, which faces a scenario of war against the United States and Israel, faced severe bureaucratic restrictions to guarantee its participation. Although the athletes’ visas were released last Friday, the team’s technical staff had authorizations denied by the American embassy in Turkey, generating diplomatic protests from the Iranians.
Due to the delay in government releases, the logistical planning for Iran’s selection was changed at the last minute. Initially, the group would stay and train in the city of Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. With the impasse, the delegation was relocated to Tijuana, Mexico, where it disembarked last Sunday. Infantino celebrated the country’s presence in the tournament and recalled personal visits made to the squad to ensure they would compete in the competition.
Defense of the relationship with Donald Trump and the ticket market
When asked about the dialogue with the White House, Infantino praised the partnership with President Donald Trump, highlighting that the direct support from the American government was fundamental in making the logistical structure of the World Cup viable. According to the director, the involvement of the federal government facilitated the initial procedures necessary to host the mega event on North American soil.
Ticket prices reflect the local market and combat scalpers
- Initial figure:The cheapest ticket for the games costs 60 dollars, a price identified by FIFA as the lowest in the United States sports market for events of this size.
- Financial transfer:The highest entity guaranteed that the amount raised from sales is fully donated to the development of grassroots football in peripheral federations.
- Secondary market:The proliferation of legal resale platforms inflated final prices, but Infantino justified that keeping official values low would only increase the profit margin of registered scalpers.
- Volume sold:More than six million tickets have already been purchased by fans for the competition’s matches.
The opening of the World Cup takes place this Thursday at the Azteca Stadium
The ball officially rolls for the World Cup this Thursday, at 4pm (Brasília time), with the clash between Mexico and South Africa at the historic Azteca Stadium. The two teams are part of Group A of the tournament, which also includes South Korea and the Czech Republic. The closing of the first round of this group occurs on the same day, at 11pm.
