Vancouver, one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, has firmly rejected demands from FIFA President Gianni Infantino for what it described as "excessive protocols."
According to Reuters on Tuesday, ahead of the 36th AFC Annual Congress in Vancouver, FIFA requested that local authorities provide Infantino with a Level 4 motorcade escort, which was promptly denied.
A Level 4 escort is a high-security convoy that can ignore traffic signals and completely restrict the movement of other vehicles along its route. It is typically reserved only for visiting heads of state, such as the Pope or the President of the United States. Vancouver police turned down the request, citing concerns over taxpayer burden and disruption to public traffic. The decision put a stop to what critics say is an attempt by heads of sports organizations to receive head-of-state-level accommodations during their travels.
Behind the controversy surrounding Infantino’s requested protocol, a larger storm is gathering. With the 2026 World Cup — expanded to 48 teams and set to begin in two months — dissatisfaction is growing among national soccer associations.
The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will require teams to travel tens of thousands of kilometers across the continent. UEFA has voiced concern that long-distance travel and a complex tax structure could leave teams eliminated in the later stages facing significant financial losses.
FIFA is attempting to ease concerns by projecting record revenues of approximately $13 billion for the tournament and promising increased prize money. Nevertheless, anxiety among participating nations remains high.
Political complications are also adding to FIFA’s challenges. Iran, which has qualified for the finals, has requested changes to its match venues, citing security and travel concerns regarding matches in the United States. FIFA, however, has taken a firm stance, stating that “there will be no changes to the schedule.”
Separately, tensions between sport and politics have surfaced in visa-related issues. Officials from the Palestinian Football Association were initially denied entry into Canada before later being granted visas in a reversal that sparked controversy.
As geopolitical tensions and logistical complexity intersect with the tournament’s unprecedented scale, questions are growing over whether the upcoming World Cup can truly function as a “global festival.”
Infantino’s latest request has also drawn renewed criticism in light of earlier controversy, including FIFA’s decision in January to award US President Donald Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, which critics described as an attempt to use football for political purposes.
With the expanded 48-team World Cup approaching, there is an increasing argument that FIFA should prioritize addressing participating nations’ concerns over travel costs and financial risks before focusing on ceremonial privileges for its president.
(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)
khnews@heraldcorp.com
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