• FIFA's Gianni Infantino addresses pre-tournament visa issues affecting a Somali referee.
• Infantino defends ticket pricing despite criticism, emphasizing the importance of revenue for football development.
• The World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, is projected to be the largest in history.

In a press conference on the eve of the World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended his organization's handling of visa issues following the denial of entry for Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan to the United States. Infantino stated, "We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces," emphasizing that FIFA respects the authority of national governments despite working to resolve entry issues for participants, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The controversy surrounding Artan's visa denial, attributed to his alleged links to "suspected members of terror organizations," has raised significant concerns about immigration handling during the tournament. Infantino expressed disappointment over Artan's exclusion, saying, "It is unfortunate what happened," while reiterating FIFA's limitations in influencing U.S. visa policies, as noted by Al Jazeera and Africanews.

Regarding ticket pricing, which has faced criticism for being prohibitively high, Infantino defended FIFA's strategy, asserting that prices reflect the tournament's significance. He pointed out that the starting price of $60 is the lowest compared to American sports playoff tickets. Despite some tickets selling for over $30,000, he stated, "Every dollar that comes in goes back to the development of football," as reported by Reuters and Africanews.

The tournament marks a historic moment as it begins with 48 teams participating across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Infantino highlighted that such a large-scale event naturally encounters challenges, yet expressed optimism for the competition, stating, "Let the celebration begin," underscoring the event's potential to unite diverse populations, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.