The Country That Shouldn't Host the World Cup

Images of football players, coaches, and staff undergoing thorough security checks upon arrival for the 2026 World Cup are becoming a recurring sight these days (though some seemingly more than others). This is hardly unusual in a security-conscious America, even if our European eyes aren't accustomed to such measures (thankfully!).

Of course, being Africa's top referee isn't enough to enter the United States to officiate the world's biggest competition; one must also pass rigorous security screenings. These screenings aren't exactly known for their fondness for Africans, Somalis, or Black individuals. This happened to Omar Abdulkadir Artan, and it's a point worth remembering, especially given FIFA's inaction. From the American authorities, there's only a single source claiming the referee has alleged ties to terrorist organizations. We've seen this movie before...

Aymen Hussein also experienced a seven-hour interrogation at an airport. It took seven hours to discover that the player was not, in fact, another citizen with the same name whom authorities suspected. Aymen Hussein is Iraqi, and he is by no means the first or last Iraqi to face discrimination, be mistaken, or treated as a terror suspect in this country simply due to his nationality. But it had to happen to Aymen Hussein, whose father was murdered by Al Qaeda and whose brother was kidnapped by ISIS and remains missing. I say "had to" because all of this seems an inevitability in such a cruel (and racist) America.

The coming days will likely overshadow these stories, as football possesses that peculiar ability (is it a gift? Let's move on) to make us forget even the most crucial matters.

Before the World Cup in Qatar, the country's issues (pardon the euphemism) were also highlighted, but once the ball started rolling, that final match made us forget everything. The difference, I note, is that the protagonists were more active then. Now, it's harder to protest against Donald Trump's United States, especially since he even received a Peace Prize from Gianni Infantino – a massive trophy, as small men sometimes need to feel important.

Europeans were once stronger advocates for democracy; now they are held hostage by these individuals. Others face greater difficulty, or have less media influence, because they are African or Iraqi. Only Iran remains, having arrived in Mexico to remind us that 168 children died in an American attack on a primary school. For them, there are no peace prizes.

Reports are also surfacing about the public's lack of interest in attending group stage matches. Tickets are being sold at exorbitant prices, because in the end, what matters isn't those detained, expelled, discriminated against, or those who silently observe. What will count is how profitable this event will be. And how much power Infantino and Trump will gain.

It's a good thing the ball has already started rolling. Let's get to the most important of the least important things.