- Fifa vice-president Victor Montagliani says political trouble at World Cups is nothing new and fans forget it once play begins.
- Iran won’t play in the US and fans from several countries have struggled to get visas for the World Cup.
The World Cup kicks off on 11 June, hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The build-up has been messy, with US President Donald Trump’s tough stance on immigration, gang violence in Mexico and the war in the Middle East all causing concern.
Iran has said it will not play its matches on US soil. Trump warned that Iranian players could be at risk in the country. Fans from several countries have also struggled to get visas, with some afraid of being stopped by immigration agents when they arrive.
But Fifa vice-president Victor Montagliani says none of this is unusual. Speaking at the Business of Soccer conference in Atlanta on Wednesday, Montagliani said political trouble had been part of every World Cup.
“The reality of the World Cups, every World Cup Fifa has put on, there’s always been geopolitical issues. Always,” he said.
He pointed to the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, which took place while a military dictatorship ran the country. Rights groups say around 30,000 people died or disappeared under that government.
Montagliani said the current drama feels bigger because of social media and the way the media covers things.
He said Fifa’s main goal was to make sure the tournament was safe and that fans had a good time. Once the ball starts rolling on 11 June, it would be all about football.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has also faced questions about his close ties with Trump. Infantino attended a Gaza peace summit and gave Trump a newly created Fifa Peace Prize at the World Cup draw in December.
Pictured above: Fifa vice-president Victor Montagliani with Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
Image source: Victor Montagliani/X
