Ian Wright Speaks Out After Somali Referee Denied US Entry Ahead of FIFA World Cup
Wright said the tournament faces chaos as tickets, accommodation and transport costs rise and officials, fans and journalists report entry problems.
- On Tuesday, Arsenal and England soccer legend Ian Wright questioned the United States' suitability as a World Cup host after Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the country.
- The United States government cited 'vetting concerns' for the denial, preventing Artan, named Africa's top male referee in 2025, from participating in the FIFA World Cup.
- Calling it a 'World Cup of chaos,' Wright criticized reports of fans and officials denied entry, citing exorbitant ticket prices, accommodation, and transportation costs ahead of the tournament.
- Following the entry ban, FIFA confirmed that Artan, one of 52 referees selected for the competition, has been stripped from its roster before June 11 kickoff.
- Visa issues have affected multiple teams, including Iran, which faced entry difficulties; FIFA maintains that host governments determine individual visa eligibility for all tournament participants.
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Soccer Legend Slams USA's "World Cup Of Chaos" Hosting After Somali Referee Denied Entry Into America
Source: James Gill – Danehouse / Getty Soccer legend Ian Wright is publicly criticizing the United States over its handling of World Cup-related travel issues, calling the situation a “World Cup of chaos” after reports emerged that Somalia’s top referee was denied entry into the country. The former Arsenal and England star voiced his frustration in a TikTok video Thursday, arguing that the problems surrounding the tournament have become impossib…
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“Are we not seeing how Qatar got dragged? How are we not hearing more? Is this the spirit of football, really?” Ian Wright’s exasperated words, delivered in a video posted to his social media as the 2026 FIFA World Cup descended into bureaucratic pandemonium, pierced through a silence so thick it could calcify bone.
England legend Ian Wright bet about the US visa process just before the World Cup. Meanwhile, the African referee comes to the floor, who was not let into the USA.
The World Cup arouses the anger of Ian Wright. The ex-English international denounces the refusal to enter the United States against the referees and supporters, as well as the awards deemed exorbitant by a tournament that he...
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