Zurich: Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called on World Cup host nations to guarantee unrestricted entry for all qualified participants, saying football's global nature must never be undermined by immigration barriers.
According to Ghana Web, Blatter, in a post on X, emphasized that host countries have two fundamental responsibilities when staging FIFA's flagship tournament. He stated, "A FIFA World Cup host country must guarantee two fundamental principles: the safety of the country, and the unrestricted entry of all qualified teams, officials and referees."
Blatter highlighted the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States despite being appointed by FIFA to officiate at the 2026 World Cup. He remarked, "The case of referee Omar Artan from Somalia is against one of these obligations. FIFA must never compromise the universality of football."
The incident involving Artan has sparked a broader discussion about the responsibilities of World Cup host nations and the potential implications of visa restrictions on the tournament's inclusivity.