A senior White House official on Tuesday defended the decision to bar several international participants from entering the US for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, asserting that the measures are necessary to ensure a safe environment.

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup, suggested the decision to block Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan "was for very good reason,” without elaborating.

In a string of remarks, US President Donald Trump has used some of his harshest language against the Horn of Africa country, even as recently as two weeks ago saying of Somalis in a Cabinet meeting: “They’re all crooks.”

Addressing visa complications for the Iranian delegation, Giuliani said that while 31 players and the primary coaching staff got approval, several other officials were denied. He suggested that some individuals might have misrepresented their roles. “As you can imagine, there are some people that claim that they are coaches that may not be coaches," he said.

Giuliani said the administration is committed to ensuring that individuals "directly working with the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) have no ability to access the United States."

The US and Israel on Feb. 28 launched an undeclared war on Iran. It is currently in a ceasefire, though earlier this week that seemed on the verge of unravelling.

Giuliani stressed that Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio intend to provide a "level playing field" for competition while maintaining strict restrictions on specific actors.

The Iranian team will be based in Tijuana, Mexico, which Giuliani described as a "real quick" 25-minute flight to Los Angeles for their matches.

He also addressed reports of rigorous security checks for teams like the African nation of Senegal and Central Asia’s Uzbekistan, saying that "secondary screening" is a standard part of maintaining safety for all fans and players.

In other instances involving visas as well as admitting immigrants, the Trump administration has been accused of using politically biased criteria – including refusing Palestinian officials visas to attend last fall’s UN General Assembly – as well as racism against indigenous people from non-European countries.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19 across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the US. The tournament's final is scheduled for the New Jersey New York Stadium.

- Super Bowl-like security measures

Giuliani said security at each of the US-based matches "will be set up like a Super Bowl," referring to the iconic annual American football championship. He said that the administration will implement multiple perimeter checks for fans, starting from the moment they board public transportation to reach the venues.

All 78 matches of the tournament will be protected by "counter UAS (unmanned aircraft system mitigation) coverage" to prevent unauthorized drone incursions. Additionally, he said the federal government has allocated a $500 million counter-drone grant to reimburse local law enforcement, while the FBI has established a specialized training center to "deputize" local officers in the use of mitigation technology.

Giuliani also highlighted the trilateral cooperation between Washington, Ottawa, and Mexico City to synchronize health and security protocols. He said the three host nations have aligned their health restrictions to prevent the trans-border spread of diseases like Ebola. (Anadolu Agency)

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