South Africa, Germany and other recent #WorldCup hosts were forced by FIFA to promise all accredited officials, players and staff would be guaranteed visas and minimal immigration interference for the tournament duration.
Why is the United States exempt from that @FIFAcom?
The referee appointed to @FIFAWorldCup by FIFA referees committee was unable to enter the US due to visa issues.
@FIFAcom failed miserably in this regard.
The slogan ‘Football unites’ rang hollow.
Disgrace!
🚨🚨| NEW: Chelsea have identified seven players as UNTOUCHABLE this summer, with the club unwilling to consider any offers for:
🔹 Reece James
🔹 Cole Palmer
🔹 Moisés Caicedo
🔹 Levi Colwill
🔹 Estêvão Willian
🔹 João Pedro
🔹 Josh Acheampong
{@SJohnsonSport}
Former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett has spoken about Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who missed out on officiating at the World Cup.
“This appears to be so unfair, depriving a young referee of the opportunity to officiate at a World Cup. The pathway to the top is incredibly difficult, and this referee has developed a career that has seen him meet the challenges and rise to the elite level.”
He added:
“I am sure that his family and federation will be so disappointed. Referees expected to earn in the region of $100,000 (£74,630). So, I hope that FIFA, who have failed in supporting his case, will make a discretionary payment of $100,000 to him and his family.”
𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡����𝐦?
#WorldCupwithMicky
#fifaworldcup2026
I have spoken to a senior @CAF_Online official concerning Arkan’s case. The person declines to be named.
“We are in conversation with @FIFAcom over this matter.”
I asked the official whether CAF will issue a statement of support for Arkan. “We are engaging in quiet diplomacy. Shouting in public could make things a lot worse,” the person said.
“This is a FIFA matter, not a CAF affair. We have no blame in this matter.”
Will the “quiet diplomacy” result in Arkan’s return to the tournament? The CAF official could not answer my question.
#Africa, there you have it…
And where is this TRAITOR ORGANISATION? Why hasn't it said anything about these insults towards African officials and Teams? CORRUPT/ROTTEN TO THE CORE!
🚨🚨🎙️| Ian Wright slams 'World Cup chaos' after Somali referee is denied U.S. entry:
“I've just read that the Somalian referee has been denied entry. Every few hours it's another story, another story about fans denied, players denied, officials denied, journalists denied, now refs.
You know something I'm laughing but it's not funny, it's actually not funny and something has to be said.
The expensive tickets, the most expensive tickets ever, expensive accommodation, transport through the roof. It has to be said.
Is this how the hosts behave really for the greatest game, the greatest tournament in the world, is this how the hosts behave?
Are we not hearing more? Are we seeing how Qatar got dragged, are we not hearing more? Is this the spirit of football, really?
You know who I feel for? I feel for the American fans who are desperate for this, American soccer fans who are desperate for this, how embarrassed they must be. How embarrassing for them this must be.
This is the World Cup, this is a World Cup of chaos. Whoever wins this World Cup is going to have to go through some serious chaos to get this done.
I hope we can do it, but something has to be said now. This is the World Cup."
🚨𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐍: Roman Molina provides a fresh update on Somali referee Omar Arteh;
🗣️ “Omar obtained a diplomatic passport and traveled directly, only to be stopped, questioned, and so on. They took his phone and tablet from him and haven't returned them to him yet, and he was deported from U.S. soil on a flight headed to Turkey.”
“FIFA issued a statement afterward saying ‘we cannot intervene in countries' immigration procedures,’ but in reality, FIFA did intervene in immigration procedures during the last World Cup in Qatar. But it seems like everything is measured with two different standards.”
“FIFA knows that the U.S. administration does whatever it wants, so we could have imagined they'd say to themselves: ‘Alright, let's play it safe and assign him to officiate matches in Mexico or Canada.’ But no, because FIFA is ruled by sheer incompetence.” 👀🥲
Omar Artan's inability to work at the World Cup - and FIFA's refusal to stand up for him - is a disgrace
It is also a direct result of Gianni Infantino cosying up to Donald Trump, writes @felixkeith
https://t.co/SiePLWMgUY