Simon Chadwick said that FIFA could not have foreseen the complexity and sensitivity surrounding the 2026 World Cup.
These challenges threaten the smooth execution of the tournament, as geopolitical tensions and strict border policies create logistical hurdles that transcend the sport itself.
Chadwick, a professor of AfroEurasian sport and specialist in 21st-century global sport, said that the governing body failed to envisage how complicated the event would become [1]. He cited a variety of pressures, including hard-line immigration policies and ongoing global conflicts, as primary drivers of this instability [1].
Security concerns and civil unrest further complicate the landscape. Chadwick said the exclusion of a Somali referee and the ongoing uncertainty regarding the status of Iranian football staff and supporters are factors [1]. These diplomatic tensions create a volatile environment for a tournament intended to unify global fans.
The scale of the event adds to these pressures. The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams [3] and a total of 104 matches [4]. This expansion increases the number of delegations and supporters crossing international borders, amplifying the impact of any diplomatic friction.
The tournament is being hosted across three nations: the U.S., Canada, and Mexico [5]. While the joint hosting arrangement provides vast infrastructure, it also requires coordination between three different governments with varying security protocols, and immigration laws.
"FIFA could never have envisaged how complicated, sensitive this tournament would be," Chadwick said [2].
“FIFA could never have envisaged how complicated, sensitive this tournament would be.”
The 2026 World Cup represents a shift where the logistical scale of the event—specifically the expansion to 48 teams and three host nations—now intersects with high-stakes global geopolitics. When immigration policies and diplomatic disputes affect the participation of referees and staff, the tournament ceases to be a purely sporting event and becomes a test of international diplomacy and security coordination.
