Infantino Tells World Cup Critics to 'Chill' Over US Visa Crackdown
Speaking to reporters in Mexico ahead of the tournament, Infantino described the barring of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan — who was poised to become the first Somali official to officiate at a FIFA World Cup — from entering the United States as regrettable, while stressing that FIFA has no jurisdiction over national immigration policy.
"It is unfortunate as well what happened to Omar, the referee from Somalia. But again, we don't control everything... Maybe sometimes it's good as well to just, you know, chill, relax. We work on everything; we try to solve everything," Infantino said.
Challenged by a reporter who cited broader concerns including travel bans, visa restrictions, and disruptions to team logistics ahead of the tournament, Infantino sought to clarify his remarks. "When I say to chill, I don't mean to chill and do nothing," he said. "I mean, trust us that we are working behind the scenes; we are trying to understand... and we always try to make the situation as positive as possible and to find solutions."
He acknowledged the inherent complexities of coordinating a global event across multiple jurisdictions. "You know, again, we don't live on the moon; we live on the planet Earth, and you have to deal with different situations. We try to do our best. We try to do our best, and I hope we'll have some good news," Infantino said.
The Somali government issued a formal expression of regret over Artan's exclusion on Wednesday. "Somalia will continue engaging with relevant partners to seek further clarification regarding this matter and to safeguard the dignity and rights of its citizens," the government said in a statement. Artan returned to Somalia from Istanbul on Wednesday.
A senior White House official had on Tuesday defended the denial of entry to several international participants, asserting the measures are essential to guarantee a secure tournament environment.
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