Gianni Infantino before the World Cup: Iran's presence, ticket prices, his candidates, and more

"We do not control everything", the head commented. "Very unfortunate for Omar Artán, the referee from Africa, but we must understand that we are not the kings of the world and cannot be above governments, their rules. If you want to criticize, criticize me. But promote unity through the tournament. Let people feel the emotions you have always felt", he added.

Criticism over ticket prices and commercial success

When asked about the controversies related to ticket prices, Infantino defended the organization's commercial policy and highlighted the demand generated by the tournament. "The price of tickets and whether the stadiums will be full or not… we have sold over 6 million tickets to date. Every dollar we generate goes back to football", he assured.

Less than 24 hours before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, held an extensive press conference at the Estadio Azteca and reviewed some of the issues that marked the lead-up to the tournament that will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, such as the participation of Iran, the visa issues, and ticket prices.

The situation of Iran and the visa conflict

One of the central topics of the conference was related to the participation of the Iranian national team, whose delegation faced difficulties entering the United States due to immigration restrictions imposed by Washington. Infantino defended their presence and emphasized that FIFA worked to ensure their participation in the competition.

"I am happy to see Iran in the World Cup", he stated. He then added: "I promised them they would come, that if I had to bring them on a bus from Tehran, I would do it. It’s about football, letting people forget their reality for a while".

The FIFA president also expressed his hope that the Iranian debut, scheduled for June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, would take place in a normal atmosphere. "I hope there is a positive environment because that is the spirit of football", he noted.

The case of the Somali referee

Related to the immigration issue, another topic addressed was the inability of Somali referee Omar Artán to obtain the necessary visa to participate in the tournament due to, as explained by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), "problems with background checks". Infantino lamented the situation but clarified that FIFA has no authority over government decisions.

Additionally, he stated that the interest in attending the event far exceeded initial forecasts. "The demand has been unprecedented, by a lot, 10 times or more. It’s an incredible amount", he emphasized.

To justify the costs of the World Cup, the official recalled that tickets are sold at a starting price of $60, "the lowest in U.S. sports", and that the average price is below $500, a value also lower than the general average in the northern country.

Infantino's candidates to win the 2026 World Cup

In a more relaxed tone, the FIFA president also ventured to name his favorites to win the World Cup. "Spain, France, England, Germany, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Morocco, Senegal, and Norway are very good teams. It will be very difficult to predict who can win", he commented.

In this regard, he added that the logistical complexities faced by each team will be decisive in determining the champion. "Three countries, open and closed stadiums, eight matches on the road to the title, different climates… There are many factors that will condition what happens. But all teams are very well prepared. We are going to enjoy it", he concluded.