FIFA boss grilled over safety of African visitors to the US at 2026 World Cup

African media quizzed FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Saturday if people from the continent will be safe and welcome in the United States at the 2026 World Cup.

Soccer fans from Africa “are a little bit jittery” about current events in the US, Infantino was told at a news conference in Kenya which urged him to ensure African visitors to the tournament do not feel “outcast ... second-class citizens.”

The FIFA leader was reminded he met yet again last week with US President Donald Trump.

“We are going to play it in a country where some of us do not feel welcome,” said a reporter from South Africa, the home country of FIFA vice president Patrice Motsepe who sat beside Infantino at a hotel in Nairobi.

African teams

At least nine African nations will be in the 48-team lineup of the World Cup being played June 11 to July 19 in 11 US cities plus three in Mexico and two in Canada. Egypt, Morocco and South Africa are likely to qualify in October as current leaders of qualifying groups.

A 10th African team could advance in inter-continental playoffs scheduled after the tournament draw, which Trump and Infantino announced in the Oval Office last week will be held in Washington D.C. at the Kennedy Center on December 5.

“Everyone will be welcome in North America next year for the World Cup,” said Infantino, whose long-standing ties to Trump got him a seat in the Capitol Rotunda for the president’s inauguration in January.

“I think it’s important to clarify this, there is a lot of misconception out there,” the FIFA leader told a roomful of African media.

Tickets and visas

Tickets for the 104 World Cup games go on sale September 10 amid long-standing concerns about fans getting visas to enter the US which has travel bans and watch lists for dozens of countries.