FIFA World Cup: Five biggest controversies of the 2026 tournament

The 2026 World Cup has been mired successful respective controversies, from governmental interference to allegations of greed and spinelessness against FIFA arsenic good arsenic officiating disputes astir the widely-loathed VAR.

Al Jazeera breaks down the 5 biggest controversies of the 2026 shot tourney truthful far.

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FIFA advises radical to ‘chill and relax’ aft Somalian referee denied introduction to US

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was incapable to instrumentality portion successful the World Cup aft being denied ⁠entry to the United States, contempt having a valid visa.

The broader migration policies of the US medication person been wide described arsenic racist and discriminatory, with Washington imposing a sweeping question prohibition past twelvemonth connected citizens of 12 countries, including Somalia, and 4 teams that qualified for the World Cup: Haiti, Iran, Senegal and Ivory Coast.

An authoritative successful the medication of US President Donald Trump said, without providing immoderate evidence, that Artan was denied introduction due to the fact that of his links to “suspected members of panic organisations”.

But Artan is simply a well-respected referee and was named Confederation of African Football’s men’s authoritative of the twelvemonth successful 2025. FIFA was conspicuously soundless successful defending Artan, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino saying critics should “chill and relax”.

At slightest Artan, who came location to a hero’s welcome, volition beryllium paid successful afloat and volition referee the UEFA Super Cup adjacent season.

Balogun reprieve brings integrity of the tourney into question

Infantino was besides forced to support FIFA’s disciplinary process aft its determination to suspend USA striker Folarin Balogun’s World Cup red-card prohibition pursuing a nonstop involution by Trump, fuelling accusations FIFA had bowed to governmental pressure.

Infantino said that FIFA’s judicial bodies had operated “independently and autonomously” and that helium had told Trump the Balogun lawsuit ⁠was taxable to an ongoing ineligible process, aft the US president personally urged him to reappraisal the case.

The matter drew condemnation from European shot assemblage UEFA, which said FIFA had “crossed a reddish line”. Criticism besides came from the Royal Belgian Football Association, respective nationalist federations, elder shot coaches, officials, and politicians. Many argued that FIFA had undermined assurance successful its ain disciplinary system.

Belgium, who precocious to the quarterfinals with an emphatic 4-1 triumph implicit the USA successful the USA team’s past World Cup game, had challenged Balogun’s eligibility hours earlier kickoff. But FIFA rejected the entreaty and ⁠the striker started the lucifer earlier making small interaction arsenic the Americans exited the tourney with hardly a whimper.

“I deliberation they [FIFA] made a truly superb decision,” Trump told reporters astatine the Oval office. “I asked for a review. If they would not let a apical subordinate to play I deliberation it [the World Cup] would person had a large stain. ‌I related that feeling.”

Trump besides questioned the prime of refereeing by Brazil’s Raphael Claus, who had sent Balogun off, saying helium was “a small spot fishy if you cheque his past.” He did not elaborate. The Brazilian FA rejected immoderate proposition regarding the integrity of the referee, portion FIFA again failed to afloat backmost their official.

VAR vexation

There person been respective rancorous decisions astir the usage of the much-maligned video adjunct referee (VAR) system, possibly astir loudly aft Egypt’s melodramatic 3-2 World Cup circular of 16 defeat by Argentina.

Egypt appeared connected people for 1 of the biggest upsets of the tourney erstwhile they led defending champions Argentina 2-0 ⁠with 11 minutes remaining connected Tuesday, lone to concede 3 precocious goals and clang out.

Much of the controversy centred connected a extremity by Egypt’s Mostafa Zico successful the 62nd infinitesimal that would person doubled his side’s lead. The extremity was disallowed aft a VAR reappraisal identified a foul by an Egyptian subordinate successful the build-up.

Coach Hossam Hassan ⁠and skipper Mohamed Salah expressed their disappointment aft the match, portion respective erstwhile players ⁠and tv pundits besides questioned the officiating.

“Surely, this is not wrong VAR’s to reappraisal this,” erstwhile England goalkeeper Rob Green said connected Fox’s broadcast of the match, referring to the foul that led to Zico’s extremity being quashed. “It’s a afloat magnitude of the transportation away.”

VAR was besides a large contented successful Argentina’s 3-1 quarterfinal triumph implicit Switzerland .

Swiss guardant Breel Embolo was shown a 2nd yellowish paper for simulation successful the 72nd minute, 5 minutes aft teammate Dan Ndoye ⁠had cancelled retired Alexis Mac Allister’s aboriginal opener and with Switzerland carrying the greater threat.

The referee had initially booked Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes earlier a lengthy VAR reappraisal established that Embolo had not been fouled.

“There ⁠was decidedly nary crushed to grant a yellowish card,” Swiss manager Murat Yakin said. “It was a harmless situation. He should person fto play continue.”

Sky-high summons prices

Earlier this week, it was revealed that FIFA had astir 1,200 class 2 tickets priced astatine $7,380 connected merchantability for the World Cup last connected July 19 astatine MetLife Stadium successful East Rutherford, New Jersey successful the US.

FIFA repeatedly faced searing disapproval implicit the cost of World Cup tickets throughout assorted income phases up of the tournament, with 1 instrumentality radical filing a suit implicit “excessive summons prices”.

In April, FIFA had 4 tickets connected its resale marketplace priced astatine $2m each; Infantino joked astir that, but different defended the eyewatering prices, insisting that football’s planetary governing assemblage was obliged to instrumentality vantage of laws successful the US that let tickets to beryllium resold for thousands of dollars supra look value.

FIFA also faces a subpoena from the ‌US states of New York and New Jersey arsenic portion of an probe surrounding summons pricing and ⁠the accuracy of spot locations for the World Cup.

‘Hydration’ commercialized breaks

FIFA’s determination to present hydration breaks successful each fixtures astatine the World Cup, careless of the temperature, has besides sparked controversy.

When FIFA unveiled the regularisation successful December, it claimed that players would “benefit from three-minute hydration breaks successful each fractional of games arsenic FIFA prioritises subordinate welfare” owed to the heat.

Players, coaches, fans and pundits person criticised the determination for disrupting matches and for efficaciously splitting the crippled into 4 quarters alternatively than 2 halves – particularly arsenic galore games person not been played nether overly blistery conditions.

“New York, California and Miami, arsenic good arsenic the Mexican stadiums, person been blistery enough, but there’s nary justification for breaks astatine the air-conditioned arenas similar Dallas, Houston, Atlanta oregon Vancouver,” elder meteorologist Everton Fox told Al Jazeera.

“I cognize FIFA assertion to person done this crossed each games to beryllium consistent,” Fox said. “But it’s hard to spot it arsenic thing different than a commercialized task worthy millions of dollars successful advertizing to the US TV channels, if not billions, globally.”