One Day to Go: World Cup 2026 Already at the Center of Controversy
June 10, 2026 — the final day before the opening of the biggest FIFA World Cup in football history. On June 11, the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City will host the tournament's opening match of Group A, as the host nation Mexico takes on South Africa. Yet the football community's attention is currently focused not on the pitch, but on a series of off-field incidents.
Referee from Somalia Barred from the Tournament
One of the most high-profile incidents involves referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan — the only Somali official selected to work at the 2026 World Cup. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that on June 6 he arrived at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul, underwent additional screening, was deemed "inadmissible due to verification issues," and was deported.
FIFA officially confirmed the referee's identity and announced that Artan "will not be able to train or officiate at the 2026 World Cup." The organization stressed that it "is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including visa decisions," and that "the host country ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted." Somalia is among the countries subject to immigration restrictions under the Trump administration.
Artan, who became a FIFA referee in 2018 and was named the best male referee by the Confederation of African Football in 2025, was set to become the first Somali official at a men's FIFA World Cup final tournament. Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud personally congratulated him on this achievement back in April. Artan himself stated that "despite the circumstances, he remains in a positive mindset" and is focused on future challenges in his refereeing career.
Immigration difficulties have also affected other tournament participants. The Iranian national team, facing issues stemming from the U.S.-Iran conflict, has set up its base in Mexico and plans to fly to the United States only on match days. In addition, two members of the Iraqi delegation — player Ayman Hussein and the team's photographer — were detained at O'Hare Airport in Chicago.
Criminal Complaint Against Infantino
Another major off-field story is a criminal complaint filed in Paris against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The complaint was initiated by former UEFA President Michel Platini — a three-time Ballon d'Or winner. According to Platini's lawyer Olivier Baratelli, the complaint alleges that Infantino and two former FIFA officials — legal director Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala — coordinated efforts to eliminate Platini from the 2016 FIFA presidential race. Infantino is named as the principal architect of the scheme.
It will be recalled that Platini was banned from football following an investigation into a payment of 2 million Swiss francs from Sepp Blatter. In 2022 and 2025, Swiss courts fully acquitted him. Platini is also filing a civil lawsuit against FIFA for damages. The complaint was submitted three days before the tournament's opening, adding further pressure on the organization's leadership.
Tournament Schedule and Format
The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11 and runs until July 19. For the first time in history, the final tournament features 48 national teams, divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed sides, advance to the Round of 32. A record total of 104 matches will be played across 16 cities in the three host countries — the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Among the most anticipated group-stage matches are Argentina vs. Algeria (June 16), where the reigning world champions led by Lionel Messi begin their title defense; Brazil vs. Morocco (June 20) — the first meeting between two top-10 FIFA-ranked sides at this tournament; and England vs. Croatia (June 17) — a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semi-final.
Summary
On the eve of the biggest World Cup in history, the off-field agenda has proven no less eventful than the sporting one. Questions of immigration policy, refereeing, and FIFA governance are already setting the tone for a tournament that officially gets underway tomorrow evening in Mexico City.
