South African politician and leader of the Julius Malema, Julius Malema, has criticised FIFA over a series of visa-related incidents affecting players, officials, and supporters participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
In a statement posted on social media, Malema claimed that several delegations and football stakeholders had faced immigration and visa challenges in the host country, arguing that the situation reflected poor tournament planning.
“What has happened at the 2026 World Cup over the last 48 hours shows that FIFA failed already,” Malema said.
According to him, Swiss international Breel Embolo had his visa placed under review and was only able to join his national team days later.
Malema also alleged that Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was detained for questioning for nearly seven hours upon arriving in the United States.
He further claimed that members of the Iranian national team faced prolonged visa processing at the U.S. Consulate in Türkiye, with some delegation members reportedly denied entry visas.
“The U.S. only allowed them entry on match days. Fifteen members of the delegation were denied visas,” he stated.
Malema also referenced the case of Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who he said was denied entry into the United States despite travelling on a diplomatic passport.
“Despite travelling to the U.S. with a diplomatic passport, he was refused entry and sent back. FIFA announced that he will not be able to officiate at the tournament,” Malema said.
The South African opposition leader further alleged that the South African national team’s arrival in the United States was delayed because some members of the delegation were not granted visas on time.
He also claimed that Senegalese team officials were subjected to extensive searches at U.S. entry points.
“Members of the Senegal national team staff were forced to remove their shoes and subjected to lengthy searches, sparking accusations of racism,” he said.
Malema added that members of the Uzbekistan national team were searched with bomb-sniffing dogs, while some Scottish supporters reportedly had their travel authorisations revoked despite being eligible to travel under the ESTA programme.
He further alleged that many supporters who had already purchased match tickets and booked accommodation suffered financial losses after their visa applications were rejected.
The comments have reignited discussions about visa access, immigration procedures, and the challenges facing participants and supporters at major international sporting events hosted in countries with strict border control measures.
Neither FIFA nor U.S. authorities had immediately responded to Malema’s allegations at the time of reporting.
