FIFA / FIFA

The noise over immigration is deafening. Never before such voices of fear, apprehension, uncertainty were heard on the eve of a major sporting extravaganza, as massive as the FIFA World Cup or the summer Olympic Games.

Though visibly worried and deeply concerned over the developments that have been gradually unfolding over some important political developments, rapid growth in global armed conflicts and the subsequent changes in immigration and visa rules have put the sports world in a fix.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026: Who plays whom and where?

The criticisms have been deafening and the FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been listening. Visa issues and mind-blowing ticket prices have dominated the headlines in the build-up to the biggest-ever World Cup taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but Infantino calmly addressed the raging topics on the eve of the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City.

Infantino said it was “unfortunate” that Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the U.S. despite having a valid visa. According to the U.S. authorities, Artan was denied entry because of his links to "suspected members of terror organizations".

“We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces. We are a sports organization," said Infantino, who also stressed that the football governing body was always working to find solutions behind the scenes. 

“We always try to find solutions,” he said. "Sometimes to immediately start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.”

There have been many other cases of immigration restrictions affecting the various key stakeholders of the sport. And even though the Iranian national team was not allowed to have their team base in the US, Infantino explained that Iran's participation in the tournament represented football's ability to bring people together in spite of geopolitical ‌tensions.

“People were saying Iran couldn't come to the World Cup,” Infantino said. "I promised them they will come."

He added: “When Iran plays, the stadium will be full and I hope there will be a positive atmosphere because this is football," he said. "We want to unite the world,” he added.

Still emphasising on uniting the world, Infantino defended FIFA's ticket pricing by repeatedly underlining that every dollar that FIFA generates goes back to the development of football and helps countries in need. “It is important that we invest in all the countries that nobody wants to invest in.”

Football or soccer as it is better known, is a poor man’s sport. It is one team game that has been mostly dominated by developing  or third world nations. However, the ticket prices for the FIFA World Cup 2026 have virtually snatched the sport from the grip of an average middle class or lower middle class football fan.

The 2026 World Cup is widely regarded as the most expensive ever, with the final reaching as high as $32,970. The high cost of tickets, which are as a result of FIFA's dynamic pricing and are, according to Infantino, justified in the US market, have been heavily criticised. Prices ranged from $69 to $1,607 for the last World Cup in Qatar.

"The starting price at $60 is the lowest entry price of any of the American ⁠sports in the playoff phases,” Infantino said.

"If you sell it at a lower price point, it would have gone on secondary markets at much higher prices. Every dollar that comes in goes back to the development of football."

Infantino said he was not concerned about  investigations into FIFA's World Cup ticket sale practices by attorneys general in California, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

“We are very relaxed about it because before starting to sell 6.5 million or 7 million tickets we check what we do with the best lawyers,” he said. “We welcome every investigation.”

Meanwhile, coming to the actual event, one of co hosts, Mexico, takes on South Africa in the opener at Mexico City Stadium. South Africa is leading the way as Africa is poised to make history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an unprecedented ten teams representing the continent, marking its largest presence ever at the tournament.

Kicking off in North America, South Africa will face co-hosts Mexico in the opening match at the Mexico City Stadium. This is the first time African teams will have double-digit representation on football’s biggest stage.

The teams representing Africa will be Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia. This milestone follows Morocco’s impressive journey to the semi-finals at Qatar 2022, which changed global perceptions of African teams.

Africa’s World Cup journey began in 1934 with Egypt’s participation. Over the decades, representation gradually grew, with Morocco, DR Congo, and Tunisia among the first to join.

The milestone of five African teams was first achieved in 1998, and the previous record of six was set in 2010 when Ghana reached the quarter-finals.

Cape Verde’s qualification is particularly notable, as it marks their first World Cup appearance. DR Congo’s return since 1974 and South Africa’s comeback after 2010 add further excitement.

Veteran teams like Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Côte d’Ivoire bring valuable experience, while newcomers inject fresh energy into Africa’s challenge. The 2026 World Cup isn’t just about numbers; it's about turning this historic representation into record-breaking performances. With higher expectations, Africa arrives in North America with its strongest presence yet.

A report in the AIPS journal highlights the journey of African nations in the FIFA World Cup. The journey from Egypt’s debut in 1934 to ten teams in 2026 has been long and challenging, marking a significant moment for African football and its growing ambition on the world stage.

South Africa v Mexico (Thursday 11th June 8 pm - Stadium, Mexico City)

Brazil v Morocco (13 Jun 2026 - New York/New Jersey Stadium)

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (15 Jun 2026, Philadelphia Stadium)

Sweden v Tunisia (15 Jun 2026 - Monterrey Stadium)

Spain v Cape Verde (15 Jun 2026 - Atlanta Stadium)

Belgium v Egypt (15 Jun 2026 Seattle Stadium)

France v Senegal (16 Jun 2026 - New York/New Jersey Stadium)

Argentina v Algeria (17 Jun 2026 - Kansas City Stadium)

Portugal v DR Congo (17th Jun 6 pm - Houston Stadium, Houston)

Ghana v Panama - (18 Jun 2026 - Toronto Stadium)

 

 

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