7 Ways the World Cup Is Already a Disaster
From teams being treated like 'criminals' at American airports to a Somali referee being denied entry to the U.S., the 2026 World Cup is turning out to be even more problematic than expected.
Under the authoritarian rule of Donald Trump and amid the war in Iran, World Cup teams and fans were already expecting a subpar tournament in U.S. host cities this year. More than a quarter of the countries participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup face U.S. travel bans, restrictions, or high visa rejection rates for fans. Human rights groups have been warning for months about the promised presence of ICE in U.S. host cities. And tickets were out of reach for many fans of the world’s most popular sport due to FIFA’s exorbitant prices this year.
But as teams, fans, and journalists arrive in the U.S. ahead of this week’s opening matches, it’s clear the 2026 World Cup is turning out to be even more of a shitshow than expected.
From teams being treated like “criminals” at U.S. airports, to American immigration officials handing out a red card to a Somali referee, to FIFA allegedly scamming those looking to attend the games, here are seven of the biggest ways the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already a disaster: