FIFA fell short of its promise to deliver the "most inclusive" World Cup, the Sport & Rights Alliance said Thursday, arguing that strict U.S. visa policies prevented many fans, workers and participants from attending despite the tournament's historic expansion.
World football's governing body staged the largest World Cup in history this year, expanding the field from 32 to 48 teams and giving more nations than ever the chance to compete on football's biggest stage.
But while FIFA pledged that the United States, which co-hosted the tournament with Canada and Mexico, would welcome the world, the coalition of rights groups said restrictive visa rules left many supporters and essential workers locked out.
"A country like Morocco, we're still struggling to find anyone, any ticket holder, who was able to get a visa for the World Cup. The same applies to Egypt. The same applies to Jordan. The same applies to Iraq. The same applies to Uzbekistan," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe.
"The claim that FIFA has made, 'Welcome to the world. Unite the world at the World Cup,' has largely failed."
