The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Mexico City on Thursday with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, as protest camps block the capital's main fan festival site and more than a hundred thousand security personnel are deployed across the country.
The tournament is already facing controversy beyond the host city — a Somali match official was denied entry to the United States at Miami International Airport on Monday despite holding a valid visa and a diplomatic passport, with the BBC reporting that US authorities believe he had associations with individuals suspected of links to terrorist organisations.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the decision to co-host the tournament in the United States, saying countries — not FIFA — decide who crosses their borders.
Toni Waterman reports from Mexico City.
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Toni Waterman in Mexico City says that despite FIFA setting aside a batch of cheaper seats, prices on the secondary market are putting the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup out of reach for many supporters.
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