AceGunner

| @arsenal | The 2026 Premier League champion. 14🏆

[Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @NYCMayor]

You don’t need to drop thousands of dollars to watch the World Cup final. And you don't need to be a professional to play in the World Cup. You just need to head to Central Park. 

We're hosting a free World Cup Final Watch Party on July 19th for 50,000 New Yorkers on the Great Lawn. And we're opening a mini-FIFA Arena next to Tavern on The Green, complete with free clinics, tournaments, and open play. 

Free ticket lottery for the Watch Party opens this Thursday, June 11th at 10AM at https://t.co/hUhvIX3MTm. 

The mini-FIFA Arena will be open from June 10 to July 18, 10 AM – 8 PM. Learn more at https://t.co/gHnw3ZuPfn.

[Egal @EGTVEgal]

Justice for Omar Abdulkadir Artan

FIFA officially confirmed that Artan was dropped from the tournament list as his immigration status could not be changed, resulting in him being repatriated back to Istanbul, Turkey.

[Melissa Reddy @MelissaReddy_]

Gianni Infantino knocked down all the reporting over visa concerns for this World Cup in August 2025: “I think it’s important to clarify this. There is a lot of misconception out there. Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year.

“There is a process to go through to get visas and so on. This process will be smooth…

“We want to unite the world and we will unite the world next year. The world needs occasions of unity, of bringing teams together, of bringing people together, of bringing fans together... So again everyone will be welcome, be positive and you will see it will be a great, great celebration of the greatest FIFA World Cup ever.”

No, again we are just meant to look the other way and allow this thing we love so much, that we want to enjoy, that we can map our whole lives around, to be used and abused.

Again we are told about unity and inclusion when division, disparity and denial is the reality.

It is a great, great celebration of getting more money whatever it takes, no matter who has to pay the price. The greatest showpiece of allowing - unopposed! - the man who is meant to protect and grow the people’s game into playing celebrity, massaging his own ego and that of heads of state.

The biggest, most expensive, least accessible World Cup ever. The thing we love and all the beautiful pieces of it we’ve lost.

[Liban @LibanLDN]

The World Cup is meant to unite the world, yet ahead of 2026 World Cup we’re discussing shootings, visa restrictions, and fans being unable to attend. Qatar faced a ridiculous amount of scrutiny, but now many of the same voices are silent. The double standard is hard to ignore.

[Borussia Dortmund @BlackYellow]

Football fans may not agree on everything, but we can agree on one thing. It's called FOOTBALL.

[FCB World @forcabarca_ar]

Give Omar fairness💔

[Polymarket FC @PolymarketFC]

🚨 INSANE! 🤯

This is how the Senegal National Team were received upon their arrival to the United States for the 2026 World Cup. 🇸🇳

🎥 @miss_sycoumba56

[Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @NYCMayor]

Soccer would not exist without immigrants. Immigrants play and coach the game, work in the stadiums, fill the stands, and make celebrations like the World Cup possible. Six of the players on the US Men's National Team are immigrants.

We will not allow ICE or anyone else to sow fear in our communities — especially at this moment. As the world comes to our city, we will stand proudly with our immigrant neighbors and reject these attacks for what they are: an attempt to divide us.

[Henry Bushnell @HenryBushnell]

Gianni Infantino, 2025: "It’s important to clarify this. There is a lot of misconception out there. Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the FIFA World Cup next year."

FIFA today: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 👉 🇺🇸

https://t.co/ee9AL6ZANG

[WelBeast @WelBeast]

Why is it called the World Cup when some people from certain regions are excluded? Is football and sports generally supposed to unite people from all walks of life?

[talkSPORT @talkSPORT]

World Cup referee Omar Artan denied entry into the USA days before tournament https://t.co/5OShI3vX44

[ESPN Africa @ESPNAfrica]

Somali referee Omar Artan has been denied entry into the United States after getting selected to officiate at the FIFA World Cup.

The 2025 CAF Referee of the Year was "determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns" per the U.S. Department of Customs and Border Protection.

[Insider Paper @TheInsiderPaper]

JUST IN - Somali referee denied entry to US for World Cup: official

https://t.co/KnJAS09LCJ

[Mukhtar @I_amMukhtar]

Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan was officially selected by FIFA to officiate at the 2026 World Cup, but he has reportedly been denied entry to the United States despite travelling on a diplomatic passport.

He landed in Miami and was then flown to Istanbul.

This is why the World Cup should not be held in a fascist country.

[YabaLeftOnline @yabaleftonline]

Award-winning Somali referee, Omar Artan denied entry to US for World Cup.

[Alerta Mundial @AlertaMundoNews]

🇺🇸🏆⚽️🔥 MUNDIAL 2026:

El árbitro somalí Omar Abdulkadir Artan, elegido por la FIFA para el Mundial 2026 y distinguido por la CAF como mejor árbitro africano de 2025, fue rechazado al llegar a Estados Unidos en el aeropuerto de Miami y deportado de regreso a Estambul.

[The Athletic | Football @TheAthleticFC]

A Somali referee who is due to officiate at the World Cup has been denied entry to the U.S. after “vetting concerns” emerged upon his arrival in Florida over the weekend.

Omar Artan arrived at Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul on Saturday but was barred from entering the country following a “routine” inspection, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed in a statement to The Athletic.

Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football men’s referee of the year, is one of 52 referees handpicked by world governing body FIFA for the tournament.

More from @HenryBushnell

🔗 https://t.co/CehZdxwtBJ

[USA TODAY @USATODAY]

Somali referee Omar Artan has been denied entry to the United States for the World Cup, according to a Somali government official.

Artan was named as a match official for the tournament in April and had been set to become the first Somali to referee at a World Cup. https://t.co/WqlYU6X9jN

[Henry Hill @henry_hill94]

FIFA should hang their shame for letting this happen. Yet another disgrace coming out of this World Cup

[Daily Mail Sport @MailSport]

World Cup referee - Africa's best - is denied entry to United States and sent back after landing at Miami Airport, despite having a diplomatic passport https://t.co/rJep4ipJ8o