As the curtain rises on the 2026 FIFA World Cup tonight, the United States appears to be competing for an altogether different title -- one of the most inhospitable hosts in the tournament's history.
Its hardline immigration and border-control policies stand in direct contradiction to FIFA's long-promoted ideals of inclusivity, anti-discrimination and "football for all".
This edition, the biggest World Cup ever, featuring 48 nations and three co-hosts -- the United States, Mexico and Canada -- was billed as the most inclusive tournament in history. Instead, it risks being remembered for the barriers that have prevented officials, journalists, support staff and fans from fully participating in football's greatest spectacle.
While Mexico and Canada have embraced the spirit of a global gathering united by sport, the United States -- host of 78 matches, by far the most among the three nations -- has generated controversy through policies that have left several participating countries feeling unwelcome.
The contrast was laid bare in a video that circulated on social media on Tuesday. Senegal's squad, arriving in the United States, was met with aggressive frisking on the tarmac and rigorous airport checks. In Mexico, meanwhile, Spain's players received a festive welcome in Puebla, greeted by mariachis, sombreros and cheering fans.
None of this has come as a surprise. Immigration concerns have loomed over the tournament since Donald Trump's return to the White House. Restricting immigration and cracking down on undocumented migrants were central pillars of his 2024 re-election campaign. Last year, Washington even imposed a sweeping travel ban on citizens of 12 countries, including four World Cup participants -- Haiti, Iran, Senegal and Ivory Coast. Citizens of those countries are effectively barred from obtaining the type of visitor visas US authorities recommend for supporters attending the tournament.
And the impact has been felt far beyond the stands. Julien Kouadio Adonis of Ivory Coast's National Committee for the Support of the Elephants told the BBC: "It's a form of segregation that doesn't dare speak its name, but the proof is there. No European country has faced this kind of restriction. Why Africa?" His organisation -- that regularly sends fans to the World Cup -- ultimately abandoned plans to travel to the United States, and he even said the move had a silver lining as he did not have to suffer the burden of exorbitant prices of tickets in the US.
Iran, who are currently in a military conflict with the US, has faced some of the most significant challenges. Amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, Iran shifted its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, Iranian players will be permitted to enter the United States only 24 hours before matches and must leave on the same day.
Although the players eventually secured visas, 15 members of Iran's management and administrative staff, including senior football federation officials, did not.
Iran's football federation has also accused the United States of revoking its allocation of tickets for group-stage matches, leaving it unable to distribute tickets to supporters through official channels.
Iraq has encountered similar difficulties. Striker Aymen Hussein was reportedly questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago's O'Hare Airport before being allowed entry. The team's official photographer, Talal Salah, was denied entry altogether after a lengthy ordeal despite arriving as part of Iraq's 53-member delegation.
Even match officials have not been spared. Somalian referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, named Africa's best men's referee last year, was denied entry to the United States upon arriving at Miami International Airport. US Customs and Border Protection said he was deemed "inadmissible due to vetting concerns". The decision ended Artan's hopes of becoming the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup.
The growing criticism has extended beyond football circles. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged the United States to reconsider its approach after fans, team officials and a top referee found themselves excluded from the tournament.
"I hope that the issues around racial profiling, around immigration enforcement are not going to affect this World Cup in the way that they have already," Turk said.
He also called for "a massive re-think" of immigration policies and an end to the "dehumanisation of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers".
With such hardline measures in place, questions are increasingly being asked about the US's suitability as host of the world's biggest sporting events. The concerns extend beyond football. Los Angeles is set to host the 2028 Olympics, a far more diverse gathering of athletes, officials and supporters from across the globe. The city has already experienced serious tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in recent years, and scrutiny is likely to intensify over how the US handles the arrival of participants from a diverse range of nations, including Olympic powerhouse China, one of Washington's principal geopolitical rivals.
The concerns are no longer limited to football. The World Cup is now being viewed by many as a test case for how the US will balance border security with the openness traditionally expected of a global sporting host.
FIFA has repeatedly stressed that immigration decisions remain the sovereign right of host nations. Legally, that may be true. But the World Cup is more than a sporting event. It is a celebration of cultures, identities and people from every corner of the globe. When supporters, officials and even referees are unable to participate because of immigration barriers, serious questions arise about the tournament's inclusivity and the scars such measures will have on its legacy; questions that will continue to shadow this World Cup long after the final whistle.
