Video: “This is World Cup of Chaos,” Ian Wright slams US over 2026 World Cup entry denials
Abdullateef Fowewe
Former England striker, Ian Wright has criticised the handling of entry permissions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup co‑hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, calling the tournament “the World Cup of Chaos” after a string of reported denials affecting fans, players, officials and journalists.
In a video posted online, Wright reacted to news that Somali referee Omar Artan had been refused entry to the U.S.
He listed a string of similar incidents and questioned whether the host nations’ behaviour matches the status of football’s flagship event.
“I’ve just read that the Somalian referee has been denied entry. Every few hours it’s another story about fans being denied, players getting denied, officials are denied, journalists get denied. Now refs?” Wright said.
“You know something, I’m laughing but it’s not funny. It’s actually not funny. Something has to be said. It’s expensive tickets — the most expensive tickets ever, expensive accommodation, transport through the roof. It has to be said.”
Wright went on to express concern for U.S. supporters and the reputation of the tournament stating, “You know, this is how the hosts behave really for the greatest game? The greatest tournament in the world. Is this how the hosts behave? I feel for the American fans in this. For the American soccer fans who are desperate. How embarrassed they must be. How embarrassing for them this must be.”
He concluded by accusing the event of descending into disarray, “This is, you know what? This is the World Cup of Chaos. Whoever wins this World Cup is gonna have to go through some serious, serious chaos to get this done. I hope we can do it. But something has to be said, man. This is just like this is the World Cup.”
The remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. vetting and visa procedures for the tournament, with media reports in recent weeks documenting several cases of denied or delayed entry for different categories of World Cup participants.
Organisers for the U.S., Canada and Mexico have previously said they are coordinating to facilitate access for teams, officials and credentialed media, but pundits argue the incidents point to inconsistent implementation and could harm the tournament’s reputation.
