EU Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef has said decisions on World Cup access rest with host nations, after a Somali referee was refused entry to the United States ahead of the tournament’s opening in Mexico on Thursday.
Speaking to Euronews’ Europe Today programme, European Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef offered a measured response to growing controversy over US travel restrictions affecting World Cup participants, stating that “decisions on who has access are for the host countries to make” while maintaining that “football should be accessible to everyone.”
His remarks follow the detention and barring of Somali referee Omar Artan at Miami International Airport this week. US authorities cited “vetting concerns” and Artan will be unable to officiate his scheduled matches or enter the country.
The Largest World Cup in History Opens Under a Cloud
The 2026 FIFA World Cup — the largest in the competition’s history, featuring a record 48 teams across 104 matches — kicked off Thursday in Mexico, one of three host nations alongside the United States and Canada. Bookmakers currently favour France and Spain as the leading contenders.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has cultivated a close relationship with President Trump, awarding him the “FIFA Peace Prize: Football Unites the World” — a distinction that did not exist before the United States joined as a host nation under Trump’s administration.
Commissioner Micallef declined to endorse calls for a boycott of the tournament, arguing that such action “will not solve anything” and would deprive fans of the opportunity to follow their teams. He expressed hope that the event would ultimately be remembered “for the excitement of football, for the joy and passion it brings on the pitch.”
Iran Participates Amid Escalating Tensions
Iran is among the 48 participating nations, despite a significant deterioration in the geopolitical backdrop. US strikes against Iranian targets were carried out in the hours immediately preceding the tournament’s opening, as part of Operation Epic Fury, with Washington pressing Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian officials had previously raised the possibility of withdrawing from the competition, while reports indicated the Trump administration had explored whether Italy — which failed to qualify — might take Iran’s place. Both Rome and Commissioner Micallef rejected the idea.
“It’s good that they can participate in the tournament. They qualified on merit and should be there,” Micallef said.
Iran will play all three group-stage matches on US soil but has reportedly established its base in Mexico owing to visa and security concerns. Should both Iran and the United States advance, the two nations could face each other in the knockout rounds.
Commissioner Tips Spain for Glory
Micallef closed with a tournament prediction, backing Spain to lift the trophy: “Either Spain or France, but I think Spain will win it in the end.”
“Football is about bringing people and countries together,” he added — a sentiment that the tournament’s opening week has already put under considerable strain.