The president of the FIFA, Gianni Infantino, minimized the impact that the restrictive migratory policies of the United States will have on the Club World Cup, which begins this Saturday, and the 2026 World Cup, ensuring that fans “of the whole world” will attend both competitions.
«Each country has its own policies, but we are for the Union. The fans and fans of the world are going to the United States, such as Mexico and Canada (next year’s World Cup headquarters along with the US), ”infantino told the media during an event in Miami prior to the start of the Club World Cup. “As always, before the World Cup there are talk of many issues, but then when it begins it will be a party,” he added.
The beginning of the renovated World Clubs occurs in the midst of a hardening of migratory policies in the United States after the arrival at the White House of Donald Trump, increasing the number of raids against undocumented immigrants, and revoking temporary residence permits of citizens of various nationalities.
This has generated doubts about the possible impact of these measures on foreigners who want to travel to the event in the US, and about the assistance to the immigrants tournament living in the country, given the fear that of going to the stadiums and being arrested by the immigration authorities.
In this sense, the president of FIFA also said that he has no “concern” about the fact that the immigration and customs control service (ICE) extends his activity to football stadiums to stop undocumented immigrants, as already does in workplaces, schools and cuts.
The last measure in migratory matters approved by Trump prohibited the entrance to the United States to the citizens of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo (Brazaville), Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
It also glimpse exceptions for nationals from 7 other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The presidential decree signed by Trump, however, excluded “athletes, coaches and members of sports teams traveling to important events such as the Olympic Games or the World Cup”, in view of the intense calendar of sporting events that the United States will host in the coming years.
