‘Are you embarrassed?’ BBC journalist grills FIFA chief over World Cup visa chaos

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was put on the spot at a heated press conference after being grilled over growing chaos surrounding visa bans and travel restrictions ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The confrontation came from BBC sports editor Dan Roan, who directly challenged Infantino over reports of officials, players and fans being blocked from entering host countries.

Roan highlighted a Somali referee who was reportedly turned away at the US border, along with claims that Iranian staff have faced visa rejections and had to shift logistics to Mexico. He also pointed to wider confusion affecting teams, journalists and supporters from multiple countries.

Then came the sharpest moment.

“You’ve spoken before about freedom of movement at global events like this… are you embarrassed by what’s actually happened?” Roan asked, adding whether FIFA had “lost control” of its own tournament.

Infantino pushed back immediately, rejecting the idea that FIFA could override immigration laws.

He questioned whether the organisation should be expected to tell governments who can or cannot enter their countries, pointing to the UK as a potential future host.

The FIFA chief admitted the scale of the operation is enormous, with around 300,000 accredited people expected to pass through security checks, most of them travelling from outside the United States.

“Security comes first,” he said, insisting FIFA is working behind the scenes but must respect sovereign decisions made by host nations.

He also pointed to Iran’s participation as proof that solutions were still being found despite complications.

But concerns around access continue to grow.

Reports have emerged of multiple disruptions, including Iranian officials being denied visas, Iraq striker Aymen Hussein being held for hours at a US airport before entry, and Haiti’s Woodensky Pierre only receiving clearance after weeks of delays.

Switzerland’s Breel Embolo also faced travel issues linked to previous legal complications before eventually joining his squad.

With questions mounting over fairness and access, the exchange has intensified scrutiny on FIFA just months before the tournament begins.