The largest, supposedly “most inclusive and hospitable” World Cup of all time is now history. And by FIFA’s standards, it was a resounding success: 104 matches were played during the mega-event in Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.—that’s 104 opportunities for the world soccer governing body to rake in a lot of money.
Following yesterday’s final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we at the fairplay Initiative echo the statements made by human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Sport & Rights Alliance.
As early as May 2025, HRW sent a letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressing concerns about the restrictive U.S. entry requirements, which disadvantaged many participating countries, and warned that such restrictions contradicted the values to which FIFA is committed. Despite these warnings, Infantino ignored the criticism and remained silent even a few months later when he was asked in writing to explain the criteria and process by which his controversial Peace Prize was awarded to President Trump.
The U.S.’s controversial visa policy made headlines right from the start and affected more than just high-profile cases such as the treatment of the Iranian national team, the Somali referee Omar Artan, or the mother of Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha. FIFA failed to use its influence in this matter and exert pressure on the U.S. government.
The list of criticisms, however, is much longer. They concern not only Infantino’s expressions of support for Trump and his resulting failure to maintain “political neutrality,” as required by FIFA’s statutes. According to research by the International Sports Press Association, many Iranian and African media representatives were denied entry into the U.S. FIFA’s response to this criticism: Entry into the host countries is “ultimately a matter of consular and immigration law.”
In addition, the debate—which FIFA has ignored—regarding players facing criminal proceedings, including on charges of sexual violence, was denounced.
Even away from the spotlight of the World Cup, there were incidents of violence and discrimination. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out an unprecedented wave of raids across the country, arresting up to 10,000 people in just five days; this culminated in ICE agents fatally shooting two people in Texas and Maine.
The Trump administration has exploited the World Cup in a variety of ways for its own political purposes. President Trump’s intervention with the FIFA president regarding U.S. player Folarin Balogun was also one of the most controversial moments of the tournament.
In light of the upcoming 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and other major sporting events, sports federations and governments are called upon to go beyond voluntary “guidelines” on human rights and establish genuine accountability.
