AIPS Calls on FIFA to Intervene Over Unfair World Cup Visa Restrictions
With only days remaining before the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) has issued a stark warning regarding severe World Cup visa restrictions currently blocking accredited journalists from entering the United States. The organization finds it entirely unacceptable that numerous global media representatives, having already secured official tournament credentials, are now facing last-minute diplomatic roadblocks.
On Friday, AIPS President Gianni Merlo directed an urgent open letter to Bryan Swanson, FIFA Director of Media Relations, and Jochen Steinhoff, Head of Media Operations & Services. The letter demands immediate FIFA intervention to resolve these ongoing World Cup visa restrictions. Merlo emphasized that denying entry to properly vetted professionals carrying out their jobs in journalism undermines the core values of the tournament and threatens the overall integrity of global sports coverage.
According to the AIPS, these entry challenges disproportionately affect reporters from specific regions, particularly Iranian and African colleagues. In many instances, the US government has issued rigid single-entry visas. This creates a massive logistical hurdle for journalists traveling across the continent: if a reporter follows their assigned team to group-stage matches in co-host nations Canada or Mexico, these strict World Cup visa restrictions completely prevent them from re-entering the US to cover subsequent knockout games.
The Broader Impact of World Cup Visa Restrictions
Merlo pointed out the stark hypocrisy surrounding these bureaucratic barriers. While international politics frequently leverages global sporting events to promote unity and build bridges between nations in conflict, restricting press access achieves the exact opposite. In public opinion, a host nation that champions freedom of the press must ensure that international media can operate unhindered during such a massive, globally significant event.
The financial and logistical fallout from these World Cup visa restrictions is already severe. With the tournament’s schedule rapidly approaching, journalists and media houses are suffering substantial business losses. Many reporters have already been forced to forfeit pre-booked travel arrangements and flight tickets, facing unexpected and significant out-of-pocket expenses. AIPS insists that FIFA must exert its institutional leverage immediately to ensure equal media access before the competition officially begins.
