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Summary:

– U.S. visa denials affected World Cup officials, staff and journalists.

– Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended the policy.

– The controversy has drawn comparisons to past politically charged sporting events.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Thursday defended the Trump administration’s visa denials as the World Cup kicked off this week, saying it had conferred with FIFA officials but declining to discuss specific cases.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup — the largest edition of the tournament in history, spread across three nations, 48 teams and 104 matches — opened Thursday in Mexico City. But before the first match was played, the tournament had already generated significant controversy over U.S. visa denials affecting players, officials and journalists from several participating countries.

Omar Artan, a top Somali referee was denied entry at Miami airport despite holding a valid U.S. visa and all required documents, ending his chance to make history as the first Somali official to work a World Cup. Iran’s soccer federation accused the U.S. of “vindictive behavior” after more than a dozen team staffers and federation officials had their visa applications rejected. The team was restricted to entering the U.S. only one day before each of its three group-stage matches, with its base camp shifted from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. Journalists from certain countries also faced widespread denials or single-entry limits.

The situation has drawn comparisons to some of the most politically charged moments in sports history.

A tradition of sports and geopolitics

The most direct parallel is the dual Olympic boycotts of 1980 and 1984. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, President Jimmy Carter led a U.S.-organized boycott of the Moscow Games, with more than 60 countries refusing to participate. Four years later, the Soviet Union and much of the Eastern Bloc stayed home from the Los Angeles Olympics, citing security concerns widely interpreted as political retaliation.

In both cases, athletes were affected by decisions made by governments. The difference then was that the boycotts were declared openly and framed as principled diplomatic stands. The 2026 situation involves selective application of entry controls rather than outright exclusion, allowing the tournament to proceed while still generating diplomatic tension.

The situation also draws comparisons to South Africa, which was banned from the Olympics from 1964 to 1992 and expelled from FIFA in 1976 over apartheid. In that case, the international sporting community used exclusion as a form of pressure on a host government. In 2026, the dynamic runs in a different direction, with the host nation controlling access.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino acknowledged the limits of his organization’s authority, saying FIFA cannot override government decisions: “We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces.”

War and the World Cup

This year’s World Cup marks the first time since the tournament’s inception in 1930 that a host nation is set to receive a country it is at war with, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran has introduced an active military dimension to the tournament.

The 1978 World Cup in Argentina offers a partial historical reference. Held during the military government of Jorge Videla, the tournament drew criticism from human rights organizations who argued that hosting the event drew international attention away from the political situation inside the country. Several European nations discussed boycotts, but the tournament proceeded.

The 2022 Qatar World Cup raised similar questions about the intersection of sports and host nation policies, with concerns over the treatment of migrant workers and laws affecting LGBTQ visitors. FIFA proceeded with the tournament in both cases.

FIFA’s recurring challenge

In each of these situations, FIFA has faced pressure from multiple directions — participating nations, human rights groups, broadcasters and sponsors — while trying to keep the tournament on schedule. Infantino said FIFA had no regrets about selecting the U.S. as one of the three host countries, and suggested that quiet diplomacy was more effective than public confrontation when visa issues arise.

The U.S. State Department said it worked to ensure Iran could compete, stating that “the visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup, including for athletes and necessary support staff, have been issued,” while maintaining that it would not allow the system to be exploited for other purposes.

The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will likely face similar scrutiny, as the questions raised by the 2026 World Cup about entry policies during major international sporting events remain unresolved.