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With less than 50 days left until the start of the World Cup, FIFA and the host countries are facing strong criticism over a number of social, political and logistical issues surrounding the tournament.
Canada, Mexico and the United States will co-host the event, while the US, along with Israel, launched a military conflict against Iran, one of the participating countries, on February 28. Although a temporary ceasefire currently exists, Iran's participation remains unclear.
Meanwhile, fans in all three host countries have reacted to high ticket prices, as well as increased transportation fees, especially in the US. According to a summary published by “Al Jazeera Sport”, several are the main concerns ahead of the tournament that will open on June 11 with the Mexico-South Africa match.
Iran's participation in question
The Iranian national team is continuing preparations, but the final decision is expected to be made by state authorities, depending on guarantees for the players' safety in the US. Tehran has warned that it may withdraw if these guarantees are lacking. This issue was also fueled by a statement by President Donald Trump, who suggested that the team's safety cannot be fully guaranteed. The Iranian federation requested that the matches be moved to Mexico, but FIFA rejected this request, while President Gianni Infantino stressed that Iran must participate in the tournament.
Significant increase in transportation fees
In the US, fans can face much higher transportation costs. A round-trip train ride from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium can cost up to $150, about 12 times the normal fare. This has led to clashes between local authorities and FIFA over responsibility for these costs. Similar situations are reported in Boston, while several other cities have pledged to keep prices affordable.
Ticket prices and fan concerns
The pricing policy has sparked strong reactions, as tickets range from $140 to over $10,000 for the final. Meanwhile, although a minimum price of $21 was initially promised, the cheapest tickets currently start at around $60. In addition to the costs, international fans also express concern about the possibility of checks and raids by US immigration agencies during their stay.
Security in Mexico under scrutiny
Security concerns have also been raised in Mexico, following an attack in Teotihuacan that killed a Canadian tourist and injured 13 others. The incident has raised concerns about the authorities' readiness to ensure security during the tour. The Mexican government has promised increased measures to prevent similar incidents.
Main points of the debate
On the eve of the World Cup, five main issues continue to dominate the discussion: uncertainty over Iran's participation, rising transportation prices, high ticket costs, concerns about immigration policies in the US, and the security situation in Mexico.
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