AIPS demands FIFA intervention over “unacceptable” US Visa blocks on eve of World Cup
AIPS demands FIFA intervention over “unacceptable” US Visa blocks on eve of World Cup
LAUSANNE: With just days remaining before the highly anticipated kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a major geopolitical controversy is brewing behind the scenes.
The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has launched a scathing critique against US immigration policies, labeling the visa restrictions faced by officially accredited journalists as “unacceptable” and urging soccer’s governing body, FIFA, to immediately intervene.
The escalating crisis threatens to overshadow the tournament’s opening ceremonies, as media professionals from across the globe find themselves stranded in bureaucratic limbo.
In a direct escalation on Friday, June 5, AIPS President Gianni Merlo—acting on behalf of the AIPS Executive Committee—fired off a high-stakes letter to FIFA’s top media brass, including Director of Media Relations Bryan Swanson and Head of Media Operations & Services Jochen Steinhoff.
The communication, obtained exclusively, highlights a systemic failure that AIPS argues flies in the face of the tournament’s celebrated spirit of global unity.
“Politicians always say that sport unites and builds bridges between young people in countries in conflict, but in this case, we are going in the opposite direction,” Merlo wrote, calling out the stark contradiction between political rhetoric and reality.
The restrictions are not just causing delays; they are fundamentally breaking the logistics of sports journalism for a tournament uniquely co-hosted across three North American nations. According to AIPS, the visa bottlenecks are disproportionately impacting reporters from: Iran and Various African Nations.
In a particularly disruptive move, several journalists have only been granted single-entry US visas. Because the 2026 World Cup is split between the US, Canada, and Mexico, any reporter who crosses the border to follow their national team into Canada or Mexico will be legally barred from re-entering the United States to cover the remainder of the tournament.
The human and financial toll on the global press corps is already mounting. Due to the severe delays, many journalists have already seen their pre-booked flights lapse, forcing independent outlets and reporters to face crippling, last-minute travel expenses.
More than just a logistical nightmare, AIPS views this as a direct affront to journalism itself, especially given the host nation involved. “We believe it is important to allow colleagues to attend the event and work,” Merlo emphasized, noting that the free press is vital to the image of the sport, “especially in a country like the United States of America, where freedom of the press is a must.”
With the clock ticking down to the opening whistle, the ball is now firmly in FIFA’s court to pressure US authorities for an immediate resolution.
