With 50 days until the FIFA World Cup, significant social, political, and logistical issues are emerging. Protests against rising rents and concerns over ticket prices are affecting fan interest and participation from nations like Iran amid ongoing conflict.
Key points
FIFA World Cup 2026 is 50 days away
Protests against rising rents in host cities
High ticket prices affecting fan interest
Iran's participation is uncertain due to conflict
Co-hosts include Canada, Mexico, and the United States
Mentioned in this story
FIFACanadaMexicoUnited States
A demonstrator holds a banner that reads in Spanish 'Your World Cup it is our dispossession' during a protest against rising rents and the World Cup in Mexico City, Mexico, February 27, 2026 [Fernando Llano/AP Photo]
With 50 days to go until the World Cup kicks off, FIFA and the tournamentâs host nations face criticism over wide-ranging social, political and logistical issues surrounding the global event.
Canada and Mexico will cohost the tournament with the United States, which, alongside Israel, launched a war on World Cup participant nation Iran on February 28. While the war is currently under a fragile temporary ceasefire, Iranâs participation in the tournament remains uncertain.
Fans across the three host countries are in uproar over exorbitant ticket prices, which have affected sales and interest in the worldâs most popular quadrennial sporting event.
Local politicians and the public have also raised concerns over the hike in transport fares on routes connecting match venues in the US.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the growing concerns in the run-up to the tournament, which begins on June 11 with the opening fixture between Mexico and South Africa:
Whatâs the latest on Iranâs participation in the World Cup?
Iranâs football team is preparing for the championship. However, officials say a final decision on the teamâs participation will be taken by the government and the National Security Council after they review the playersâ safety in the US.
Iran had said last month that it would not participate in the tournament amid the war, especially if the host nation could not guarantee playersâ security. It followed a social media post from President Donald Trump, where he suggested that the Iranian teamâs safety and security could not be guaranteed in the US, where Iranians are scheduled to play all their games.
The Iranian football federation then asked FIFA to relocate its games from the US to Mexico. FIFA rejected the request.
Q&A
What are the major issues affecting the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The major issues include social protests over rising rents, political tensions involving Iran, and high ticket prices impacting fan interest.
How is the conflict involving Iran impacting its World Cup participation?
Iran's participation in the World Cup remains uncertain due to ongoing conflict and a fragile ceasefire with Israel.
Why are fans protesting against the FIFA World Cup in host countries?
Fans are protesting due to exorbitant ticket prices and rising living costs, which they feel are making the event inaccessible.
Which countries are co-hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
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FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said last week that Iran âhas to comeâ to the tournament.
Iran will play all their group stage matches on the US West Coast. Should they advance to the knockouts, the remaining games would also be held in the US.
Outrageous commuter fare prices in US host cities
Fans can expect to pay nearly 12 times the regular $12.90 fare for a round-trip train ride from Manhattanâs Penn Station to the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, venue of the World Cup final and seven other major fixtures.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and FIFA have chided each other on the $150 price tag for a roughly 15-minute, 14km (9-mile) ride; Sherrill said FIFA should bear the costs, while the global body hit back, saying it is not obligated to do so.
Train commutes to Gillette Stadium in Bostonâs suburbs cost roughly four times the regular price ($20), while round-trip bus fares to Foxborough cost $95.
Host cities Los Angeles and Philadelphia have pledged to keep their transit fares unchanged, while Kansas City is offering a $15 round-trip fare to Arrowhead Stadium. Houston said it has added buses and train cars to serve fans but intends to keep fares at current levels: $1.25 for buses and light rail trains, and park-and-ride options ranging from $2 to $4.50.
High prices, low demand for match tickets
Sky-high ticket prices have left fans outraged at what they say is pricing that excludes supporters from the tournament. A lag in ticket sales for blockbuster matches, including hosts USA vs Paraguay, seems to be a testament to the high price tag.
FIFA put tickets on sale in December at prices ranging from $140 for Category 3 in the first round to $8,680 for the final. Later, it raised prices to as high as $10,990 when sales reopened on April 1.
The North American bid had initially promised tickets would be available for as little as $21; however, the cheapest ticket has been priced at $60. Most tickets cost at least $200 for matches involving higher-ranked teams.
FIFA announced another round of ticket sales on Wednesday to coincide with the 50-day countdown. Tickets will be available across categories 1 to 3 for all 104 matches on a first-come, first-served basis.
Pushback against immigration raids during World Cup matches
The Trump administrationâs push for mass deportation and its efforts to tighten legal immigration pathways have spurred concerns about whether the World Cupâs international audience might be targeted by US immigration authorities.
Infantino was approached last week to pressure Trump to avoid immigration raids at this yearâs tournament. Reporters suggested that agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were present at last yearâs FIFA Club World Cup matches, though the Trump administration denied conducting enforcement efforts.
A report by The Athletic explained that FIFA executives have framed the possibility of an immigration moratorium as a potential public relations boon for the Trump administration. It also indicated that the executives hoped Infantino would leverage his friendly relationship with Trump to assuage any immigration-related fears.
Violence in Mexico raises fears over tournament security
World Cup cohost Mexico is also under the spotlight due to concerns for fan safety after a lone attacker opened fire on tourists near the countryâs capital on Monday.
The accused opened fire on top of one of the Teotihuacan pyramids â a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Mexicoâs most frequented tourist attractions â and killed one Canadian tourist and injured 13 others.
It raised questions about security protocols taken by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaumâs government in the run-up to the global football tournament.
Sheinbaum said Mexico will beef up security ahead of the World Cup.
âOur obligation as a government is to take the appropriate measures to ensure that a situation like this does not happen again. But clearly, we all know â Mexicans know â that this is something that had not previously taken place,â she said on Tuesday.
