Football should unite us and not divide us

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is smoothly ongoing in the United States, Canada and Mexico with over 48 matches played thus far.

On the pitch, everything seems to be going well, save for a few incidents, but overall, the beautiful game is winning – plenty of goals, goalkeeping masterclasses, skills and the big stars are showing up.

Argentina star Lionel Messi just broke and extended the World Cup record for goals, France skipper Kylian Mbappe is just behind him, Erling Haaland has more goals (4) than the World Cup matches (2), etc.

However, all hasn’t been smooth, especially off the pitch.

First, CAF’s best referee, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, was denied a lifetime opportunity to officiate at the World Cup despite being on the official FIFA-accredited list for the global showpiece.

Despite having a valid visa, Artan was stopped at the airport and flown back with the authorities in the United States, saying he was inadmissible into their country.

The football governing body, which has always preached unity and fair play instead of fighting to see one of their own secure entry, just plucked him off their list, saying that Artan could not train or officiate, and noting that host governments ultimately determine visa and entry admissions.

If that was not enough of a dividing factor, then restrictions on Iran’s national team staff being denied US visas and having to be based in Mexico leave a bitter taste.

Imagine, they are playing their matches in the United States but stay in Mexico and are only allowed entry on match day and then must leave immediately.

There have also been issues with certain players, including Ghana’s Thomas Partey, Switzerland’s Breel Embolo, Iraq captain Aymen Hussein and team photographer Talal Salah (finally denied entry after being held for over ten hours), regarding entry into the United States despite being on their respective official team lists.  

FIFA has long promoted the World Cup under the slogan “Football Unites the World”, presenting it as a symbol of global connection and harmony. However, the 2026 edition is taking place in a more complex context, with political tensions—including those involving Iran and the United States—as well as security concerns and immigration and visa policies in the United States, potentially making participation in the tournament more difficult.

For fans, it is even worse. Julien Kouadio Adonis from the Ivory Coast’s fan association, the National Committee for the Support of the Elephants, told BBC Sport earlier in June: “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?”

Through movements like “FIFA Unites the World”, we stakeholders should use football as an inclusion tool to tackle real-world challenges and promote respect, as it happened some years back when Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba, through the game, caused an end to a civil war.

We must not miss a chance to bring the world together through the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is not too late, FIFA.