FIFA’s Montagliani dismisses 2026 World Cup fears as tournament planning faces geopolitical strain

FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani has said concerns around politics, security and travel for the 2026 World Cup have been “exaggerated”, arguing similar controversies have surrounded past tournaments and will be forgotten once matches begin.Speaking at the Business of Soccer conference, Montagliani said geopolitical tension is a recurring feature of World Cup cycles and should not distract from delivery.Montagliani said: “The reality of the World Cups – every World Cup FIFA has put on – there’s always been geopolitical issues. Always.”He pointed to historical precedent, citing the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, and said the modern media environment amplifies narratives around risk without changing the operational task for organisers.Montagliani added: “Right now it’s just magnified because everything else in the world is magnified, whether it’s social media, or whether it’s how the media reports things.“But it doesn’t change our job... It’s a reality of doing business. We deal with it. We will deal with it.”The 2026 tournament is scheduled to be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the opening match set for June 11 and the event expanded to 48 teams, increasing the scale of logistics, security and border movements for teams, staff and travelling fans.The build-up has been complicated by a range of issues, including the ongoing war in the Middle East, heightened immigration enforcement in the United States and continuing concerns about organised crime and violence in parts of Mexico.Iran has also raised the prospect of not playing scheduled matches in the United States amid safety concerns, while some fans have reported difficulties securing visas and expressed anxiety about immigration checks on arrival.Montagliani, who is also president of CONCACAF, said FIFA’s priority is co-ordinated security planning with all three federal governments and local agencies in host markets.He said: “At the end of the day, our main goal is to ensure that the security is top notch, which is why we have to have our relationship solid with every federal government – Canada, the US, and Mexico.”Montagliani also argued that the on-field product ultimately becomes the dominant focus once the tournament begins, regardless of the pre-event political noise.Meanwhile, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has faced scrutiny over his relationship with US President Donald Trump, including high-profile appearances tied to US-led diplomacy and a newly created FIFA award presented to Trump at the World Cup draw in December.Iran’s football federation has said it is in discussions with FIFA about relocating its matches to Mexico, and the national team has adjusted parts of its preparation schedule as it continues to plan friendlies and training camps ahead of the tournament.