Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has urged countries hosting the FIFA World Cup to ensure all qualified participants are granted entry to the tournament, arguing that restrictions affecting teams, officials or referees risk undermining football’s global character.
In a post on X, the 89-year-old said host nations have a responsibility to uphold two key principles when staging football’s biggest competition: maintaining security and ensuring accredited participants can enter the country without obstruction.
“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 wrote.
His comments came in response to the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States despite being selected by FIFA to officiate at the 2026 World Cup.
“The case of referee Omar Artan from Somalia is against one of these obligations. FIFA must never compromise the universality of football.”
Blatter’s intervention has renewed discussion over the obligations of World Cup host countries and the balance between national immigration policies and the requirements of international sporting events.
The issue has become increasingly prominent as nations prepare for the 2026 World Cup, with questions being raised about how host governments handle visa and entry decisions involving accredited tournament participants.
The former FIFA chief’s remarks also arrive at a time when Ghana is continuing efforts to reverse a decision by Canadian authorities to deny midfielder Thomas Partey entry for the Black Stars’ opening Group L fixture against Panama in Toronto.
The Government of Ghana has confirmed that discussions are ongoing with Canadian officials after a formal diplomatic protest was lodged. Authorities in Accra have requested a review of the decision and indicated they are prepared to pursue diplomatic, legal and administrative avenues if necessary.
Canadian authorities have not publicly explained the reasons behind the visa refusal. However, Ghana says it understands the decision is connected to ongoing criminal proceedings involving Partey in the United Kingdom.
The midfielder has denied all charges through his legal representatives, and the matter remains before the courts.
While Blatter did not directly reference Partey’s case, his broader comments regarding unrestricted entry for qualified participants are likely to attract attention as Ghana continues its efforts to secure clearance for the player’s participation in the tournament.
FIFA, for its part, has maintained that immigration and visa decisions remain the responsibility of sovereign governments rather than the world football governing body.
Nevertheless, Blatter’s remarks highlight a long-standing debate surrounding major international sporting events and the expectations placed on host countries. Supporters of unrestricted access argue that all qualified participants should be able to take part once selected for a tournament, while governments retain the authority to enforce domestic immigration and security regulations.
As preparations for the 2026 World Cup continue, the cases involving Omar Artan and Thomas Partey have brought renewed focus to those competing priorities.
Blatter’s message was clear: the global nature of football should remain protected, and host nations must ensure that all teams, officials and referees who qualify for the World Cup are able to participate in the competition they have earned the right to attend.
